Axontodendritic

Axontodendritic refers to a type of synapse in the nervous system where the axon terminal of one neuron makes contact with the dendrite of another neuron. This is the most common type of synapse in the brain.

Synapses are specialized junctions between two neurons that allow them to communicate with each other. This communication is typically chemical, involving the release of neurotransmitters from the presynaptic neuron (the one sending the signal) that bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron (the one receiving the signal).

In an axontodendritic synapse, the axon, which is an extension of the neuron's cell body responsible for transmitting electrical impulses, forms a connection with a dendrite, which is a branched protoplasmic extension of a nerve cell that propagates the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or soma, of the neuron from which the dendrites project.

The formation of axontodendritic synapses is crucial for neuronal circuitry and information processing. The precise location and strength of these synapses can be modified, a phenomenon known as synaptic plasticity, which is believed to underlie learning and memory. Understanding axontodendritic synapses is fundamental to comprehending how neural networks function and how neurological disorders may arise.