What are synapses?

A synapse is like a special message highway between brain cells that helps them talk to each other.

Imagine your brain is like a city full of busy people, the brain cells, or neurons, are the workers. They need to send messages to tell each other what to do, just like how you might shout across the playground to call a friend over.

That’s where synapses come in! A synapse is like a little bridge between two brain cells, it helps the message cross from one cell to the next. When one neuron wants to send a message, it sends tiny chemical messengers called neurotransmitters across the synapse to the next neuron.

Think of a synapse like a little mailbox on the side of a street. The first brain cell puts its message (in the form of neurotransmitters) into the mailbox, and the second brain cell gets it right away, just like you get a letter when someone drops it in your mailbox!

Sometimes, these mailboxes can be used more or less often depending on what the brain is doing, that’s how we learn new things and remember old ones. It's like having a favorite route to school, you use it more because you know it well!