Maintaining the proper balance between excitation and inhibition is critical for the normal
function of cortical circuits. This balance is thought to be maintained by an array of
homeostatic mechanisms that regulate neuronal and circuit excitability, including
mechanisms that target excitatory and inhibitory synapses, and mechanisms that target
intrinsic neuronal excitability. In this review, I discuss where and when these mechanisms
are used in complex microcircuits, what is currently known about the signaling pathways that …