Final answer:
Neurons exchange information through electrical signals which trigger the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters across the synaptic cleft.
Step-by-step explanation:
Information exchange between neurons is facilitated through the generation of electrical signals and is mediated by chemical neurotransmitters.
These signals, or action potentials, travel along the neuron until they reach the axon terminal. Here, the arrival of an electrical signal triggers the release of neurotransmitter molecules from vesicles into the synaptic cleft, which is the small gap between neurons
The neurotransmitters then cross the synaptic gap and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron's membrane, which can initiate a new electrical signal within the second neuron, thereby continuing the communication process. Key neurotransmitters in this process include dopamine, glutamate, and GABA, which vary in function and impact on neural circuits. Dopamine, for instance, has a significant role in neurological processes and behaviors, while GABA acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, maintaining the excitatory-inhibitory balance within neural networks, and glutamate is involved in excitatory signaling.