Dynamic modulation of short-term synaptic plasticity in the auditory cortex: The role of norepinephrine

►The auditory cortex receives functionally different apical vs. basal inhibition. ►Presynaptic factors regulate short-term plasticity in both apical and basal inhibition. ►Norepinephrine has different stimulus frequency dependence for apical and basal synaptic inhibition. ►Norepinephrine produces opposite effects in early (<250 ms) vs. late (>250 ms) synaptic integration windows, for high-frequency responses.