突触（法语、英语、德语: Synapse）是神经元之间，或神经元与肌细胞、腺体之间通信的特异性接头。神经元与肌肉细胞之间的突触亦称为神经肌肉接头（neuromuscular junction）。

中枢神经系统中的神经元以突触的形式互联，形成神经元网络。这对于感觉和思维的形成极为重要。突触也是中枢神经系统和身体的其它部分，例如肌肉和各种感受器交换信息的渠道。

神经元之间的突触可以分为化学突触和电突触两大类（electrical synapse）。前者的工作机制是一种称为神经递质的信号分子的释放和接收，两个神经元之间没有直接的电气耦合。后者是两个神经元之间的直接电气耦合。化学突触较电突触更为常见，类型更为丰富，下文将着重介绍化学突触。

In the nervous system, a synapse is a structure that permits a neuron (or nerve cell) to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another neuron. Some authors generalize this concept to include the communication from a neuron to any other cell type, such as to a motor cell, although such non-neuronal contacts may be referred to as junctions (a historically older term). Santiago Ramón y Cajal proposed that neurons are not continuous throughout the body, yet still communicate with each other, an idea known as the neuron doctrine. Synapses (at least chemical synapses) are stabilized in position by synaptic adhesion molecules (SAMs) projecting from both the pre- and post-synaptic neuron and sticking together where they overlap; SAMs may also assist in the generation and functioning of synapses.