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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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Synaptic Signaling

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Updated: May 21, 2025

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

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Published on: June 24, 2015

Compact Artificial Synapse-Neuron Module with Chemically Mediated Spiking Behaviors.

Jie Qiu^1,2,3, Pei Chen^1,2,3, Ming Wang^1,4

¹State Key Laboratory of Integrated Chips and Systems, Frontier Institute of Chip and System, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.

|March 21, 2025

Summary

Researchers developed a compact artificial synapse-neuron module (ASNM) that mimics biological functions. This device enables chemically mediated plasticity and stable spiking for advanced bioelectronic interfaces.

Keywords:

artificial synapse-neuron module bioelectronic interface neuromorphic system neurotransmitter spiking

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Using Neuron Spiking Activity to Trigger Closed-Loop Stimuli in Neurophysiological Experiments

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Published on: November 12, 2019

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Materials Science
Electronics

Background:

Neuromorphic electronic devices aim to replicate biological systems for computing and interfaces.
Existing systems lack chemical mediation and have complex structures, limiting biointerfacing capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a compact artificial synapse-neuron module (ASNM) with chemically mediated characteristics for direct biointerfacing.
To demonstrate the ASNM's ability to exhibit synaptic plasticity and stable spiking.

Main Methods:

Integration of an organic electrochemical synaptic transistor with a niobium dioxide Mott memristor.
Utilizing sodium ions and dopamine neurotransmitters to induce short-term and long-term plasticity, respectively.
Testing the stability of spiking characteristics over >10^10 cycles.

Main Results:

The ASNM demonstrated chemically mediated synaptic plasticity modulated by ions and neurotransmitters.
Stable spiking characteristics exceeding 10^10 cycles were achieved.
The ASNM successfully modulated firing frequency in a bioplausible range (0-100 Hz).

Conclusions:

The developed ASNM integrates sensing, synaptic plasticity, and spiking in a compact form factor.
This module offers a promising approach for direct biointerfacing.
A chemically mediated artificial neuromuscular system based on the ASNM replicated a learning task.