Final answer:
Synaptic plasticity via long-term potentiation (LTP) strengthens excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), playing a key role in learning and memory by enhancing the response to glutamate through an increase in AMPA receptors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Plasticity of synapses via long-term potentiation (LTP) is a mechanism in which excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) are strengthened. LTP is a durable increase in synaptic strength that occurs when a synapse is repeatedly stimulated, facilitating a stronger response to the neurotransmitter glutamate. This process is particularly crucial for learning and memory and involves the postsynaptic neuron becoming more sensitive and likely to fire in response to presynaptic neurotransmitter release, primarily through the insertion of more AMPA receptors into the postsynaptic membrane.