Synapses + Neurons

Synapses are essential for systemic neural activity. Neuroscientists understand that synapses play a vital role in a variety of cognitive functions, including learning and memory formation.

Synapses allow neurons to pass signals through electrical or chemical means. This communication drives everything from movement and memory to emotion and perception.

An action potential is an electrical nerve impulse that travels along a neuron’s axon. It’s a transient, all-or-nothing electrical current that is conducted down the axon when the neuron’s membrane potential reaches a specific “threshold of excitation.”

Neurons are the information processing units of the brain responsible for sending, receiving, and transmitting electrochemical signals throughout the body.

Glial cells are a general term for many types of glial cells, for example, microglial, astrocytes, and Schwann cells, each having their own functions within the body. Each type of glial cell performs specific jobs that keep the brain functioning.