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Overview of Synapses

Overview of Synapses

A synapse is a specialized structure where two neurons connect, allowing them to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another neuron. It is the point of communication between neurons. The term "synapse" is derived from the Greek word "synapsis," which means "conjunction." The entire process of neural communication revolves around the synapse. When activated, a neuron releases chemicals known as neurotransmitters into the synapse. These neurotransmitters cross the synapse and bind to...

Electrical Synapses

Electrical Synapses

Electrical synapses found in all nervous systems play important and unique roles. In these synapses, the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes are very close together (3.5 nm) and are actually physically connected by channel proteins forming gap junctions.
Gap junctions allow the current to pass directly from one cell to the next. In contrast, in the chemical synapse, the neurotransmitters carry the information through the synaptic cleft from one neuron to the next. They consist of two...

The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation

The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation

A postsynaptic neuron usually receives numerous impulses from several other presynaptic neurons. The axon hillock of the postsynaptic neuron integrates all these signals and determines the likelihood of firing an action potential.
Sometimes a single EPSP is strong enough to induce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. However, multiple presynaptic inputs must often create EPSPs around the same time for the postsynaptic neuron to be sufficiently depolarized to fire an action potential.

Synaptic Signaling

Synaptic Signaling

Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...

Synaptic Signaling

Synaptic Signaling

Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.

Neural Circuits

Neural Circuits

Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Real-time Electrophysiology: Using Closed-loop Protocols to Probe Neuronal Dynamics and Beyond

Real-time Electrophysiology: Using Closed-loop Protocols to Probe Neuronal Dynamics and Beyond

Published on: June 24, 2015

Rapid desynchronization of an electrically coupled interneuron network with sparse excitatory synaptic input.

Koen Vervaeke¹, Andrea Lorincz, Padraig Gleeson

¹Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.

|August 11, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Electrical synapses (gap junctions) between brain interneurons can synchronize firing. However, excitatory input can cause these networks to desynchronize, depending on synaptic properties.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cellular Neuroscience
Computational Neuroscience

Background:

Electrical synapses, formed by gap junctions (GJs), are crucial for synchronized neuronal firing and network oscillations.
The role of GJs in interneuron networks under excitatory synaptic input remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how electrically coupled Golgi cells (GoCs) in the cerebellar input layer respond to excitatory synaptic input.
To determine the role of Connexin-36 in forming functional GJs between GoCs.

Main Methods:

Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy to identify Connexin-36 and GJ presence.
Electrophysiology to record GoC activity and firing patterns.
Network modeling to simulate network dynamics under various input conditions.

Main Results:

Connexin-36 is essential for functional GJs between GoC dendrites.
In the absence of input, GoCs exhibit synchronized firing.
Sparse, coincident mossy fiber input induces both excitation and inhibition, leading to spike desynchronization.
Inhibition arises from spike afterhyperpolarization propagation through GJs, causing spike-phase dispersion and network desynchronization.

Conclusions:

GJ coupling in GoCs can be inhibitory, leading to network desynchronization.
The effect of GJ coupling (synchronization vs. desynchronization) is dependent on the nature of the synaptic input.
Network desynchronization is a robust, local phenomenon influenced by synaptic input characteristics.