When neuroscientists analyzed the exact properties of nerve connections in the brain, they made a startling observation: At a key connection, or synapse, messages are sent against the usual stream of ...

The regulation of neuronal excitability and the maintenance of an appropriate balance between excitation and inhibition are central to brain function. Inhibitory synaptic transmission, predominantly ...

The synaptotagmin protein family has been studied by neuroscientists for decades. However, most isoforms lack well-defined functions. Now, researchers have identified a crucial, presynaptic role for ...

Synaptic transmission tenets challenged Two distinct pools of synaptic vesicles appear to be involved in the spontaneous release of neurotransmitters and in neurotransmission triggered by a stimulus, ...

Interactions of two voltage-gated calcium channels and a pump enable separate control of exocytosis and endocytosis at chemical synapses. Chemical synapses transmit information within the nervous ...

BIN1, one of the strongest genetic risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, encodes a protein that dabbles in many cellular functions, taking a hand in Aβ production, tau propagation, and ...

A new type of brain cell, called a glutamatergic astrocyte, has been discovered. It could explain how a variety of neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson’s, develop. Brain cells can largely ...

How do people think, feel, remember, and move? These processes rely on synaptic transmission, where chemical signals are passed between nerve cells using molecular structures called vesicles.

When elderly people stay active, their brains have more of a class of proteins that enhances the connections between neurons to maintain healthy cognition, a UC San Francisco study has found. This ...