Methods and apparatus are provided for implementing spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP) using windowing of spikes. One example method for operating an artificial nervous system generally includes recording spike times for a first artificial neuron, recording spike times for a second artificial neuron coupled to the first artificial neuron via a synapse, processing spikes for the second artificial neuron according to a window based at least in part on the spike times for the first artificial neuron, and updating a parameter (e.g., a weight or a delay) of the synapse based on the processing.