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Related Concept Videos

The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

135.8K
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.
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Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters01:29

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When an action potential reaches the presynaptic axon terminal, it releases neurotransmitters from the neuron into the synaptic cleft at a chemical synapse. The released neurotransmitter can be excitatory or inhibitory. The critical criteria commonly used to determine whether a molecule is a neurotransmitter at a chemical synapse are the molecule's presence in the presynaptic neuron. Second, its release is in response to strong presynaptic depolarization. And lastly, the presence of...
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Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

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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...
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Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

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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...
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Overview of Synapses01:25

Overview of Synapses

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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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Neural Regulation01:37

Neural Regulation

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Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Evaluation of Synapse Density in Hippocampal Rodent Brain Slices
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Evaluation of Synapse Density in Hippocampal Rodent Brain Slices

Published on: October 6, 2017

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Synapses in neurodegenerative diseases.

Jae Ryul Bae1, Sung Hyun Kim2

  • 1Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.

BMB Reports
|March 9, 2017
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Summary

Presynaptic terminals, crucial for brain communication, undergo structural and functional changes in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. These alterations in nerve terminals are key indicators of disease progression.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Neuropathology

Background:

  • Synapses are fundamental for neural communication, with presynaptic terminals initiating signal transmission.
  • Presynaptic terminals contain synaptic vesicles, active zones, and proteins essential for neurotransmitter release and recycling.
  • Synaptic plasticity is vital but vulnerable to pathological conditions, with alterations linked to neural diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review structural and functional changes in presynaptic terminals.
  • To highlight the role of nerve terminal alterations in neurodegenerative diseases.

Main Methods:

  • This study is a review of existing literature.
  • Analysis of structural and functional alterations in nerve terminals.

Main Results:

  • Synaptic alterations are central to neural disease processes.
  • Changes in the presynaptic terminal phenotype are significant indicators of neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Specific neurodegenerative diseases discussed include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, and Huntington's disease.

Conclusions:

  • Presynaptic terminal alterations are critical markers in neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Understanding these changes is essential for diagnosing and potentially treating conditions like AD, PD, ALS, and HD.