hermostot

Hermostot is a term from speculative neuroscience and science fiction used to denote a hypothetical neural signaling mechanism that would enable rapid, direct electrical coupling between neighboring neurons without chemical neurotransmitters. In the fictional literature, hermostots are described as transient, membrane-bound conduits formed by specialized proteins that bridge the extracellular space during moments of high network demand.

Proposed characteristics in worldbuilding accounts include a brief duration (a few milliseconds), a localized spatial range (tens of micrometers), and bidirectional signal transfer. Activation is linked to local metabolic states or field effects, and termination occurs when the conduits disassemble. The mechanism is typically presented as complementary to traditional synaptic transmission rather than a replacement.

Usage and reception: Hermostot serves as a plot device to explain sudden, near-synchronous activity across microcircuits, such as during rapid attention shifts or dream-like states in fictional settings. Because hermostot is not recognized by contemporary neuroscience and lacks empirical validation, it remains a speculative concept outside the scientific canon.

See also: electrical synapse, gap junction, ephaptic coupling, neural synchronization, brain oscillations.