How are nerve impulses transmitted across a synapse?

A chemical neurotransmitter is used to facilitate the passage of nerve impulses across the synapse.

Neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic neuron into the synaptic cleft, where they bind to receptor sites on the postsynaptic neuron, opening ion channels and allowing ions to flow into the postsynaptic neuron. This change in ion concentration results in an electrical impulse, which in turn continues the transmission of the nerve impulse across a synapse.

Nerve impulses are transmitted across a synapse through a process involving neurotransmitters. When an action potential reaches the axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron, it triggers the release of neurotransmitter molecules into the synaptic cleft. These neurotransmitters diffuse across the synaptic cleft and bind to specific receptor sites on the postsynaptic neuron's membrane. This binding opens ion channels, allowing ions such as sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) to flow into or out of the postsynaptic neuron, depending on the specific neurotransmitter and receptor involved. This influx or efflux of ions generates a new electrical signal in the postsynaptic neuron, known as a postsynaptic potential, which may lead to the generation of an action potential if the depolarization is of sufficient magnitude. After transmission, neurotransmitters are either broken down by enzymes, taken back up into the presynaptic neuron for recycling, or diffused away from the synapse.