synapse
n. countablen. the tiny gap between two nerve cells where they pass messages to each other. It is like a bridge that lets chemical signals travel from one brain cell to another.
n. the junction between two nerve cells, consisting of a minute gap across which impulses pass by diffusion of a neurotransmitter. It serves as the primary site of communication between neurons in the nervous system.
The brain uses chemicals to send signals across each synapse.
Neuroscientists study how the synapse changes over time to help the brain learn and remember new information.
The efficiency of a synapse can be modulated by various factors, including the frequency of stimulation and the presence of specific neurotransmitters, which ultimately determines the strength of the neural connection.
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek σύναψις (súnapsis, “conjunction”), from συνάπτω (sunáptō, “to clasp”). Introduced by neurophysiologist Charles Scott Sherrington.