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Neuronal Communication

Neuronal Communication

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...

The Synapse

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.

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...

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Updated: Jul 10, 2025

Assembly and Characterization of Biomolecular Memristors Consisting of Ion Channel-doped Lipid Membranes

Assembly and Characterization of Biomolecular Memristors Consisting of Ion Channel-doped Lipid Membranes

Published on: March 9, 2019

An ultrasmall organic synapse for neuromorphic computing.

Shuzhi Liu^1,2, Jianmin Zeng¹, Zhixin Wu¹

¹Department of Micro/Nano Electronics, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.

Nature Communications

|November 23, 2023

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed tiny organic neuromorphic devices using a novel polymer. These devices achieve high performance and integration, paving the way for advanced brain-inspired computing and artificial intelligence.

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Area of Science:

Materials Science
Neuroscience
Electrical Engineering

Background:

Miniaturized organic neuromorphic devices are crucial for brain-inspired artificial intelligence.
Challenges exist in downscaling organic devices and integrating them due to structural inhomogeneity.

Purpose of the Study:

To design and fabricate high-performance organic synapses with reduced dimensions and enhanced integration.
To achieve reliable device performance for neuromorphic computing applications.

Main Methods:

Designed a semicrystalline polymer (PBFCL10) with an ordered structure to control conductive nanofilament formation.
Fabricated organic synapses with a minimal device dimension of 50 nm and an integration density of 1 Kb.
Implemented a mixed-signal neuromorphic hardware system with an organic neuromatrix and FPGA controller.

Main Results:

Achieved the smallest organic synapse device dimension (50 nm) and highest integration size (1 Kb) to date.
Demonstrated 32 linear conductance states with high cycle-to-cycle (98.89%) and device-to-device (99.71%) uniformity.
Successfully executed a spiking-plasticity algorithm for decision-making tasks on the implemented hardware system.

Conclusions:

The developed PBFCL10-based organic synapses represent a significant advancement in miniaturized and high-density neuromorphic devices.
The high performance and uniformity of these organic devices are superior to existing organic counterparts.
The successful implementation of a neuromorphic system highlights the potential for practical applications in artificial intelligence.