Long lasting changes in the strength of synaptic transmission in the hippocampus are thought to underlie certain forms of learning and memory. Accordingly, the molecular mechanisms that account for these changes are heavily studied. Postsynaptically, changes in synaptic strength can occur by altering the amount of neurotransmitter receptors at the synapse or by altering the functional properties of synaptic receptors. In this study, we examined the biochemical changes produced following chemically induced long term depression in acute hippocampal CA1 minislices. Using three independent methods, we found that this treatment did not lead to an internalization of ␣-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors. Furthermore, when the plasma membrane was separated into synaptic membrane-enriched and extrasynaptic membrane-enriched fractions, we actually observed a significant increase in the concentration of AMPA receptors at the synapse. However, phosphorylation of Ser-845 on the AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 was significantly decreased throughout the neuron, including in the synaptic membrane-enriched fraction. In addition, phosphorylation of Ser-831 on GluR1 was decreased specifically in the synaptic membrane-enriched fraction. Phosphorylation of these residues has been demonstrated to control AMPA receptor function. From these data, we conclude that the decrease in synaptic strength is likely the result of a change in the functional properties of AMPA receptors at the synapse and not a decrease in the amount of synaptic receptors.Rapid excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus is mediated predominantly by glutamate-activated AMPA 2 receptors (AMPARs). Theoretically, long term changes in the strength of synaptic transmission, as occur during long term potentiation and long term depression (LTD), can arise from changes in the amount of glutamate that is released from the presynaptic terminal, changes in the number of synaptic AMPARs, or changes in the functional properties of synaptic AMPARs. Experimentally, LTD of synaptic responses has been shown to be induced by several different treatments, the most common of which include several low frequency stimulation (LFS) paradigms (1), N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) application (2), 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine application (3, 4), and insulin application (5). The biochemical mechanisms that underlie these different types of synaptic depression have been the subject of numerous studies in many different experimental systems.A number of studies have demonstrated that protein phosphatase activity is a requirement for long term depression. This was originally demonstrated through the use of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), 2A (PP2A), and 2B (PP2B/calcineurin) inhibitors, which were shown to inhibit both the induction and the maintenance of LTD (6, 7). Furthermore, it has been suggested that synaptically localized PP1 is critical for the induction of LTD and that enhancing the synaptic targeting of PP1 facilitates long term depression (8). In addition, a...