Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes a disturbance in hippocampal synaptic plasticity leading to deficits in episodic memory and spatial memory. In this review, we explore alterations in long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) that contribute to memory consolidation deficits. These alterations are associated with glutamate excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation, and network imbalance. Ultimately, the review provides evidence that these deficits are due to alterations in signaling rather than complete loss of these pathways.
