Autapse



An autapse is a synapse that a neuron forms with itself. They have been hypothesized to serve as short-term analog memory storage.

Strictly speaking, an autapse is a synapse from the axon of a neuron to one of its dendrites, that is, from its output to its input. However, structures have been found via Eyewire formed as a looped branch in a dendrite that may be either autapses or self-touches (i.e. not a synapse at all). In EyeWire's 2D view, these generally appear to be branches that move away from the main branch, approach it again, but only touch again along a cell membrane.

History
Autapses have been known since at least 1972.