<p>In the central nervous system, I think it would be safe to say that most neurons make connections (through their axons) with the dendtrites of multiple downstream neurons.</p>

<p>Some examples:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>In the <a href="http://bme2.aut.ac.ir/~towhidkhah/MotorControl/Notes/Cerebellum-Vahdat/Book/fulltextservice/ct%7B06b9ee1beed594190674f1983457a7dd32af6a0d5a4c9892~49/da6c42ff7.gif.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">cerebellum</a>, the parallel fibers pass through and makes connections with many Purkinje neurons. </p></li>
<li><p>This was recently very beautifully demonstrated in a paper where they filled individual axons in V1 and traced their connections to multiple cortical areas. <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180328143253.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Science Daily</a> <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature26159" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Nature Article</a></p></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-02T06:09:20.057Z
2018-04-02T06:09:20.057Z
jerlich
<p>Sure, look at the <a href="http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/370/1666/20140309" rel="nofollow noreferrer">connectome of <em>C. elegans</em></a> for example: URB (circled in red) has synaptic connections to IL1, RIC and also to CEP (which also synapses back to URB, showing that cycles in the connectome are possible). Likewise RIS (circled in blue) has synaptic connections to at least 4 different neurons (in this map) and a couple more off-map.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/VZi5b.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/VZi5b.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>(click to enlarge)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-01T22:30:51.120Z
2018-04-01T22:30:51.120Z
got trolled too much this week
<p>In a typical multi-polar neuron, an axon has multiple axon terminals that can connect to another neuron's dendrites.</p>

<p>Are there cases where an axon connects to dendrites of <strong>multiple</strong> neurons?</p>

<neuroscience><neurophysiology>
Can an axon connect to dendrites of multiple other neurons?
mfc
# Can an axon connect to dendrites of multiple other neurons?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-01)

In a typical multi-polar neuron, an axon has multiple axon terminals that can connect to another neuron's dendrites.

Are there cases where an axon connects to dendrites of **multiple** neurons?

**Tags:** neuroscience, neurophysiology


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-04-01. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

Sure, look at the [connectome of *C. elegans*](http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/370/1666/20140309) for example: URB (circled in red) has synaptic connections to IL1, RIC and also to CEP (which also synapses back to URB, showing that cycles in the connectome are possible). Likewise RIS (circled in blue) has synaptic connections to at least 4 different neurons (in this map) and a couple more off-map.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/VZi5b.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/VZi5b.png)

(click to enlarge)


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### Answer by username_1 on 2018-04-02. Score: 3

In the central nervous system, I think it would be safe to say that most neurons make connections (through their axons) with the dendtrites of multiple downstream neurons.

Some examples:

1. In the [cerebellum](http://bme2.aut.ac.ir/~towhidkhah/MotorControl/Notes/Cerebellum-Vahdat/Book/fulltextservice/ct%7B06b9ee1beed594190674f1983457a7dd32af6a0d5a4c9892~49/da6c42ff7.gif.png), the parallel fibers pass through and makes connections with many Purkinje neurons.
2. This was recently very beautifully demonstrated in a paper where they filled individual axons in V1 and traced their connections to multiple cortical areas. [Science Daily](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180328143253.htm) [Nature Article](https://www.nature.com/articles/nature26159)


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