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The Synapse

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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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 18, 2025

Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice

Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice

Published on: March 11, 2020

The glutamatergic synapse: a complex machinery for information processing.

¹Institute of Applied Science and Intelligent Systems (ISASI) of CNR C/O Complesso Olivetti, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, NA Italy.

Cognitive Neurodynamics

|October 4, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Glutamatergic synapses, crucial for brain processing, exhibit significant response variability. This complexity suggests they actively manage information, not just transmit it, involving intricate pre- and postsynaptic controls.

Keywords:

AMPA Brain information processing EPSC EPSP Glutamatergic synapse LTD LTP NMDA Synaptic information processing Synaptic modeling Synaptic transmission dendritic integration dendritic spines

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 18, 2025

Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice

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Published on: March 11, 2020

Fast Micro-iontophoresis of Glutamate and GABA: A Useful Tool to Investigate Synaptic Integration

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Published on: July 31, 2013

Inhibitory Synapse Formation in a Co-culture Model Incorporating GABAergic Medium Spiny Neurons and HEK293 Cells Stably Expressing GABAA Receptors

Inhibitory Synapse Formation in a Co-culture Model Incorporating GABAergic Medium Spiny Neurons and HEK293 Cells Stably Expressing GABAA Receptors

Published on: November 14, 2014

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Synaptic Plasticity
Computational Neuroscience

Background:

The glutamatergic synapse is the most abundant type in the brain.
It plays a critical role in information processing.
Synaptic transmission appears simple but exhibits significant response variability.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the mechanisms controlling information transfer at glutamatergic synapses.
To highlight the complexity and variability of synaptic responses.
To underscore the role of glutamatergic synapses in information elaboration and management.

Main Methods:

Literature review of synaptic transmission and control mechanisms.
Analysis of pre-, post-, and extrasynaptic modulation sites.
Discussion of interneuronal cooperation in synaptic function.

Main Results:

Glutamatergic synapse response variability is observed across and within synapses.
Multiple control mechanisms operate at pre-, post-, and extrasynaptic sites.
Cooperation between pre- and postsynaptic neurons, involving other neurons, regulates synaptic information.

Conclusions:

Glutamatergic synapses are not passive conduits but actively elaborate and manage neural information.
The complex interplay of control mechanisms contributes to synaptic variability.
Understanding these intricate mechanisms is a key challenge for future neuroscience research.