Excitatory synapses onto axonic spines jump-start action potentials and route information flow

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 15 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02282-4

The axon initial segment was known to receive GABAergic synaptic inputs. Yang et al. show that it can be excited directly via specialized ‘axonic spines’. These spines thus boost neuronal firing and act as a fast track to route circuit information.