Recent results have demonstrated modification of electrical synapse strength by varied forms of neuronal activity. However, the mechanisms underlying plasticity induction in central mammalian neurons are unclear. Here we show that the two established inductors of plasticity at electrical synapses in the thalamic reticular nucleus – paired burst spiking in coupled neurons, and mGluR‐dependent tetanization of synaptic input – are separate pathways that converge at a common downstream endpoint. Using occlusion experiments and pharmacology in patched pairs of coupled neurons in vitro, we show that burst‐induced depression depends on calcium entry via voltage‐gated channels, is blocked by BAPTA chelation, and recruits intracellular calcium release on its way to activation of phosphatase activity. In contrast, mGluR‐dependent plasticity is independent of calcium entry or calcium dynamics. Together, these results show that the spiking‐initiated mechanisms underlying electrical synapse plasticity are similar to those that induce plasticity at chemical synapses, and offer the possibility that calcium‐regulated mechanisms may also lead to alternate outcomes, such as potentiation. Because these mechanistic elements are widely found in mature neurons, we expect them to apply broadly to electrical synapses across the brain, acting as the crucial link between neuronal activity and electrical synapse strength. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved