A single synapse can alter its response to a given level of stimulus over time. Some things that may alter a synapse's response to a given level of stimulus include, activity on its own input (habituation and sensitization, or homoplasticity), activity on other synapses on its neuron (associative learning), chemical changes in the immediate area of the synapse, Chemical changes in the nutrient supply to the neuron (hormonal), etc.

A synaptic connection may return to a previous state via resilience.





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Notes/Spit-balling

There are a variety of terms used as synonyms to describe certain similar properties, which are related, but may not be exact synonyms. For now, this entry will explore the given definitions of these terms, and try to tease out some observed properties/effects that need to be separated out and given their own descriptions.

• Elasticity — The property of a substance or entity that enables it to change its length, volume, shape, or state in direct response to an applied influence effecting such a change, and to recover its original state upon the removal of the affecting influence.
• Resilience — The power, tendency, or ability of an object, substance, or state to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, stretched, or otherwise altered. The speed at which it tends to regain its original state.
• Spring/Springiness — A measure of the force with which an entity resists changes in shape or state in response to an applied influence. Also, A measure of the force with which an elastic entity returns to its original form or state upon the removal of an affecting influence.

• Rebound —
• Relax/ation — E.g., battery: relaxes back from a full charge to a lesser charge — or return back to a higher state of charge from a lower (nearly depleted) state of charge —in both cases— when left at rest (recoil?).
• Inertial (roadrunner?) — A moving mass or entity is stopped completely but still holds energy (in the form of instability or oscillation?) and either moves forward a bit more, or sticks and dissipates the energy in some other way (perhaps as heat at the contact point?).

• Plasticity — the property of a substance that makes it capable of being molded, given shape, or being made to assume a desired form. — plastic
• Pliability —
• Ductility —
• Malleability —
  

Also/Add:
     Flexibility,
     Suppleness.
     Recoil(a tendency property),
     Complaisance(compliant, compliance),
     Conformable/Adaptable/Adjustable/alterable/modifiable (add '-ility?)
     Rigidity/Stiffness/hardness - Softness (Shore hardness A scale, D scale rubber, durometer)




Only related, but very pertinent:
(needs a little more distillation)

     Viscosity — the property of a fluid that resists the force tending to cause
     the fluid to flow.

. . .
With license, can be applied to solids and other forms of
plasticity/elasticity. See durometer A-Scale, D-Scale (ant. for springiness?):

     The property of a plastic or elastic substance/entity that resists forces tending to cause
     it to change its shape, form, or state. (applies to both affected and released phases?)

. . .
And to resilience/elasticity (in resting/released phase?):

     The property of an elastic/resilient substance/object that causes it to resist returning to its
     previous shape, form, or state.

. . .
Also, inversely applies to the return/rebound of an elastic entity (syn. springiness?).

     A measure of the force with which an elastic entity returns to its original form or
     state upon the removal of an affecting influence. (here's where the relax of batteries
     or that slight rebound of clay after being shaped my come into play - Sponginess?).


. . .
There seems to be:
1. Resilient plastic - Hold shape/state to which it is formed/changed.
2. Resilient elastic - Returns to original shape/state prior to deformation change


(need better/more consistent words/terms for "resting phase," "released phase," "rebounding phase," "affecting phase")



Also related:
Pop-elasticity or perhaps breaking-elasticity (stretch through a range, then break): Also respective plasticity type. (e.g., a balloon is filled with water and stretches as it fills until it breaks. The balloon membrane breaks away quickly. For an instant, the water that was contained in the membrane maintains its shape before also break by falling to gravity).


Related-only:
cascading elasticity (/plasticity): When one plastic entity directly (partially or fully) affects another, also plastic/elastic entity (e.g., oven quickly heats to set temperature. Thermometer placed in oven lags behind the temperature of the oven, both in the up and down directions).



Dictionary and other
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/plasticity
Mold Making Info: Rubber Shore A Scale





. . . . .
Resources

• Viscous sheet retraction

• Comments On Ruptured Soap Film