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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...

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.

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...

Role of Amygdala in Memory

Role of Amygdala in Memory

The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped structure responsible for processing and storing memories, particularly those linked to emotions like fear and stress. It plays an essential role in the brain's response to emotionally significant events and often enhances memory formation by triggering stress hormone release. The amygdala is vital for encoding and retrieving memories associated with fear or stress, a process that is adaptive by helping organisms avoid dangerous situations.
One of the...

Role of Hippocampus in Memory

Role of Hippocampus in Memory

The hippocampus, a critical brain structure, plays an essential role in memory processing, particularly in the formation and retrieval of memory. This small, seahorse-shaped region is located within the medial temporal lobe, with one hippocampus in each brain hemisphere. Experimental studies involving lesions in the hippocampi of rats have demonstrated significant impairments in tasks such as object recognition and maze navigation, indicating the hippocampus involvement in both recognition and...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Ex Vivo Optogenetic Dissection of Fear Circuits in Brain Slices

Ex Vivo Optogenetic Dissection of Fear Circuits in Brain Slices

Published on: April 5, 2016

Electrical synapses control hippocampal contributions to fear learning and memory.

Stephanie Bissiere¹, Moriel Zelikowsky, Ravikumar Ponnusamy

¹Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|January 8, 2011

Summary

Electrical synapses, or gap junctions, are crucial for emotional memories. Blocking them in the hippocampus disrupts fear learning, memory, and extinction in rats.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Synaptic Plasticity
Behavioral Neuroscience

Background:

Electrical synapses, mediated by gap junctions, are known to synchronize neuronal activity in the mammalian brain.
Their specific contribution to learning and memory, particularly emotional memories, is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of gap junction-mediated transmission in the dorsal hippocampus during emotional learning and memory.
To determine the impact of blocking neuronal gap junctions on fear conditioning, memory, and extinction processes.

Main Methods:

Utilized Pavlovian fear conditioning in a rodent model.
Employed activity-dependent immediate early gene expression to map neuronal activity.
Conducted in vivo electrophysiology to record neural rhythms.

Main Results:

Inhibiting gap junctions in the dorsal hippocampus significantly impaired context-dependent fear learning, memory recall, and extinction.
Disruption of theta rhythms was observed in the hippocampus of freely moving rats with blocked gap junctions.

Conclusions:

Gap junction-mediated neuronal communication is essential for the formation and retrieval of emotional memories.
Electrical synapses play a significant role in the hippocampal circuits underlying fear-based learning and memory consolidation.