Yousong Zhu, Qinlong Hui, Zheng Zhang, Hao Fu, Yali Qin, Qiong Zhao, Qinqing Li, Junlong Zhang, Lei Guo, Wenbin He, Cheng Han
Synapses serve as the points of communication between neurons, consisting primarily of three components: the presynaptic membrane, synaptic cleft, and postsynaptic membrane. They transmit signals through the release and reception of neurotransmitters. Synaptic plasticity, the ability of synapses to undergo structural and functional changes, is influenced by proteins such as growth-associated proteins, synaptic vesicle proteins, postsynaptic density proteins, and neurotrophic growth factors. Furthermore, maintaining synaptic plasticity consumes more than half of the brain's energy, with a significant portion of this energy originating from ATP generated through mitochondrial energy metabolism...
February 2024: Journal of Neuroscience Research