In general, the exchange of information between the billions of neurons that make up the neuronal forest takes place through two types of highly specialized structures: chemical synapses (the majority) and so-called gap junctions (a substrate of one class of electrical synapse). Chemical synaptic transmission involves the release of specific molecules, neurotransmitters, which diffuse through the intercellular space and interact with specific receptors located on an adjacent neuron.
总体而言，构成神经元之林的数十亿神经元之间的信息交换通过两大高度专业化的结构发生：化学突触（主要）和所谓的缝隙连接（一类电突触的基底层）。化学突触传导包括释放特定的分子——散布于细胞间空间、与位于相邻神经元特定神经末梢互动的神经递质。在缝隙连接发出的电传导中，相邻神经元的细胞膜通过大约两纳米（一米的二十亿分之一）的缝隙分离，但包含连接相邻神经元细胞质的微小通道（缝隙连接），让小分子和电流得以传播和扩散。