All articles tagged with #synaptic transmission
New research from the University of Pittsburgh reveals that the brain uses separate synaptic sites for spontaneous and evoked signaling, allowing it to balance stability with adaptability, which has implications for understanding learning, memory, and neurological disorders.
A new detailed computational model of the brain's vesicle cycle reveals how nerve cells communicate efficiently, even at high firing rates, by regulating vesicle recycling through key proteins. This breakthrough enhances understanding of synaptic function and could inform treatments for neurological disorders.
Researchers have developed a new system called PhAST that uses photons instead of chemical neurotransmitters to control neural activity. The system involves using light-emitting enzymes called luciferases and light-sensitive ion channels to send photons as transmitters between neurons. The team genetically modified roundworms to have faulty neurotransmitters and used the PhAST system to restore neuronal communication in a defective circuit. The potential of light as a messenger offers a broad scope for future potential applications in both basic research and clinical applications in neuroscience.