We explain what the synapse is and the types of synapses that exist. Also, diseases that can affect this process.
What is the synapse?
A synapse is known as a process specialized intercellular approach, which is carried out between two neurons, or one neuron and another cell (effector or recipient). In this process, the transmission of a nerve impulse occurs, which is why it is often also known as a nerve synapse or even an electrical synapse, given the electromagnetic nature of said transmission.
The synapse is key in the body's management and control process. It begins with a chemical discharge within the membrane of the sending cell (neuron), which becomes a electric current transmitted along the neuronal axons and that releases certain chemical compounds called neurotransmitters (norepinephrine and acetylcholine, among others) that excite or inhibit the functions of the receptor cell.
Through the synapse, neurons control the various chemical and physical processes of the body, which allows their synchronization (activation and inhibition at convenience) and occurs in three types of stimulus:
- Exciting drive. That which initiates processes or increases the potential for action.
- Inhibitory transmission. That which stops processes or decreases the action potential.
- Modulating transmission. That which alters the pattern or frequency of the cellular activity in question.
Synapse types
There are two different types of synapses, which are:
- Electrical synapse. This type does not involve neurotransmitters, but the transmission from one neuron to another of ions (molecules electrically charged) by gap junctions: protein connections between closely adhered cells. This type of synapse is bidirectional and allows neuronal synchronization, in addition to being faster than the chemical synapse.
- Chemical synapse. This type occurs between cells separated by a space no greater than 20-30 nanometers, known as the synaptic cleft, and occurs through the release and reception of neurotransmitters, the result of a very fast cellular secretion process. It is unidirectional and somewhat slower than electric.
Diseases that affect the synapse
Some ailments of the human body prevent or hinder the correct neuronal synapse, thus affecting the control that the nervous system exerts over the various functions, voluntary or not, of the organism. Some of these ailments are:
- Parkinson disease. Degenerative disorder, of a congenital type, which consists of the inhibition of the sufficient secretion of dopamine, a substance that guarantees the correct movement muscle, which results in tremors, weakness and lack of control of the extremities
- Epilepsy. It is about a desynchronization of the inhibitory and excitatory impulses of the synapse, increasing the electrical work and generating states of hyperarousal, whose impact on the nervous system it is one of progressive and inevitable deterioration.
- Alzheimer's disease. This disease arises from the formation of cortisol plaques between the neurons of the cerebral cortex, preventing the synapse and impairing both the ability to reason, to language and the formation of recent memories.