Understanding Synapses: Past, Present, and Future
Open accessAbstract
Classical physiological work by Katz, Eccles, and others revealed the central importance of synapses in brain function, and characterized the mechanisms involved in synaptic transmission. Building on this work, major advances in the past two decades have elucidated how synapses work molecularly. In the present perspective, we provide a short description of our personal view of these advances, suggest a series of important future questions about synapses, and discuss ideas about how best to achieve further progress in the field.
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Neuronal synapses are the functional units of communication in the central nervous system, mediating rapid and precise information transfer between neurons.
“Neuronal synapses are the functional units of communication in the central nervous system.”
From Molecular Physiology of the Neuronal Synapse (2026) · cites this paper as [2]
The complex architecture of a synapse, characterized by its asymmetric organization, enables unidirectional signal propagation from the presynaptic terminal to the postsynaptic neuron.
“The complex architecture of a synapse, characterized by its asymmetric organization, enables unidirectional signal propagation from the presynaptic terminal to the postsynaptic neuron [2,3,4].”
From Molecular Physiology of the Neuronal Synapse (2026) · cites this paper as [2]
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References 87 · Cited by 207
- Authors
- Südhof, T. C., & Malenka, R. C.
- Affiliations
- Stanford Medicine (US)
- Corresponding author
- Südhof, Thomas C.
- Malenka, Robert C.
- Venue
- Neuron
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2008-11
- Volume
- 60
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 469-476
- ISSN
- 0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3243741
- OpenAlex
- W2068742937
- Cited by
- 207
- References
- 87
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 4.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Neuron (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Cellular transport and secretion
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- Keywords
- synapses, synaptic transmission, synaptic plasticity
- MeSH terms
- Brain, Calcium, Dendrites, Humans, Learning, Membrane Fusion, Memory, Synaptic Transmission, Neuronal Plasticity, Neurosciences, Synapses, Synaptic Vesicles, Signal Transduction, Receptors, AMPA, Neurotransmitter Agents, Synaptotagmins, Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators
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