Synapses are the key functional elements of the brain. The essential function of the brain is cell-to-cell communication, and synapses are the points at which communication occurs. The human brain has been estimated to contain approximately 100 trillion synapses; even the brain of a fruit fly contains several million. The functions of these synapses are very diverse: some are excitatory (exciting the target cell); others are inhibitory; others work by activating second messenger systems that change the internal chemistry of their target cells in complex ways. A large number of synapses are dynamically modifiable; that is, they are capable of changing strength in a way that is controlled by the patterns of signals that pass through them. It is widely believed that activity-dependent modification of synapses is the brain's primary mechanism for learning and memory.
Synapses are the key functional elements of the brain . The essential function of the brain is cell - to - cell communication , and synapses are the points at which communication occurs . The human brain has been estimated to contain approximately 100 trillion synapses ; even the brain of a fruit fly contains several million . The functions of these synapses are very diverse : some are excitatory ( exciting the target cell ) ; others are inhibitory ; others work by activating second messenger systems that change the internal chemistry of their target cells in complex ways . A large number of synapses are dynamically modifiable ; that is , they are capable of changing strength in a way that is controlled by the patterns of signals that pass through them . It is widely believed that activity - dependent modification of synapses is the brain 's primary mechanism for learning and memory .
A synapse whose purpose is to excite the target cell are called what?
A synapse whose purpose is to excite the target cell are called what ?
excitatory
excitatory