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Related Concept Videos

Electrical Synapses01:28

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 Synapse02:47

The Synapse

Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Neural Circuits01:25

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...
Overview of Synapses01:25

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Real-time Electrophysiology: Using Closed-loop Protocols to Probe Neuronal Dynamics and Beyond
08:08

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Published on: June 24, 2015

A superposable silicon synapse with programmable reversal potential.

Ben V Benjamin1, John V Arthur, Peiran Gao

  • 1Electrical Engineering and P. Gao and K. Boahen are with Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. benvb@stanford.edu

Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference
|February 1, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

We developed a novel silicon synapse that mimics biological functions, offering programmable control for neural networks. This advancement enables more robust neuronal synchronization and network-level control.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Computer Science

Background:

  • Biological synapses exhibit complex dynamics crucial for neural computation.
  • Existing silicon synapses often lack the flexibility to emulate diverse biological synaptic behaviors.
  • Log-domain circuits offer efficient analog computation for neuromorphic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce a novel log-domain silicon synapse capable of emulating biological synaptic interactions.
  • To implement a programmable reversal potential in a silicon synapse for enhanced functionality.
  • To demonstrate the scalability and network implications of the proposed silicon synapse design.

Main Methods:

  • Designed a subthreshold analog silicon synapse circuit operating in the log-domain.
  • Emulated neurotransmitter release-reuptake and receptor binding-unbinding dynamics.
  • Fabricated an array of 64K silicon neurons with superposable synapse circuits using 180nm CMOS technology.
  • Investigated network-level effects by configuring synapses as shunts in a recurrent neural network.

Main Results:

  • The silicon synapse successfully emulated biological synaptic interactions with superposable functionality.
  • Achieved programmable reversal potential, a first for log-domain synapses, enabling both excitatory and inhibitory behavior.
  • Demonstrated scalability with a 64K neuron array, each synapse occupying minimal area.
  • Shunting synapses, utilizing programmable reversal potentials, enhanced neuronal spiking synchronization in recurrent networks.

Conclusions:

  • The novel log-domain silicon synapse provides a versatile platform for neuromorphic engineering.
  • Programmable reversal potentials offer significant advantages for controlling network dynamics and function.
  • This design represents a significant step towards more biologically realistic and scalable artificial neural systems.