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Related Concept Videos

Electrical Synapses01:28

Electrical Synapses

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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...
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The Synapse02:47

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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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Overview of Synapses01:25

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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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Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, communicate through complex electrochemical signals that underpin all cognitive and bodily functions. This communication is primarily facilitated by a process involving the generation and propagation of an action potential along the axon of the neuron. When the internal electrical charge of a neuron surpasses a certain threshold, an action potential is triggered. This rapid change in voltage travels swiftly along the axon to the...
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Chemical Synapses01:26

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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.
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Real-time Electrophysiology: Using Closed-loop Protocols to Probe Neuronal Dynamics and Beyond
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Protonic solid-state electrochemical synapse for physical neural networks.

Xiahui Yao1, Konstantin Klyukin2, Wenjie Lu3

  • 1Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.

Nature Communications
|June 21, 2020
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a novel analog synapse using a proton-shuffling mechanism in tungsten oxide (WO3). This charge-controlled device offers a low-energy, reproducible alternative for physical neural networks and analog computing.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Solid-State Physics
  • Neuroscience Engineering

Background:

  • Analog computing and physical neural networks leverage resistive switching processors.
  • Current resistive switches face challenges like poor reproducibility (conductive filament) or high energy consumption (phase change).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate an alternative synapse design based on a deterministic, charge-controlled electrochemical mechanism.
  • To explore the potential of proton shuffling in modulating electronic conductivity for analog computing applications.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a three-terminal device with a WO3 channel, PdHx proton reservoir gate, and solid electrolyte.
  • Employed electrochemical modulation via protonation/deprotonation to alter the WO3 channel's conductivity.

Main Results:

  • Achieved modulation of WO3 channel conductivity over seven orders of magnitude, creating a continuum of resistance states.
  • Demonstrated that proton intercalation enhances conductivity by increasing carrier density and mobility.
  • Observed low energy dissipation, good reversibility, and high programming symmetry.

Conclusions:

  • The proton-shuffling mechanism in WO3 offers a promising, energy-efficient, and reproducible approach for analog synapse design.
  • This charge-controlled switching mechanism presents a viable alternative to existing resistive switching technologies for advanced computing platforms.