In addition, "Researchers also noted extremely low levels in these mice brains of a biochemical associated with healthy synapse function," she continues. "Synapses are the structures that connect one neuron to another and shunt messages between them. Healthy synapses respond to demands on the brain by slowing or speeding messages, keeping the brain??s nervous-system traffic manageable. But low levels of the marker of synapse health suggested to the researchers that in these obese animals?? inflamed brains, synapses were no longer functioning properly and messages between neurons likely jerked, hiccuped or stalled."