Question

Is impulse transmission at an electrical synapse faster than at a chemical synapse?

Answer 1

Synapse:

1. Synapses are the regions where neurons communicate with one another.
2. Chemical synapses and electrical synapses are two fundamentally different types of synapses.
3. The distinguishing factor between a chemical and an electrical synapse is that in a chemical synapse, the nerve impulse is transmitted chemically via neurotransmitter, whereas in an electrical synapse, the nerve impulse is transmitted electrically via channel proteins.
4. As an electrical signal, nerve impulses travel through the axon membrane. A chemical synapse converts an electrical impulse into a chemical signal. However, in an electrical synapse, the impulse can be conveyed using ions.
5. As a result, electrical synapses are far faster than chemical synapses.