action potential moves down pre-synaptic neuron and causes vesicle to move close to terminal membrane
vesicle fuses with terminal membrane via exocytosis, which causes neurotransmitters to be released into synaptic cleft
neurotransmitters bind with protein receptors in post/pre-SN for pre to stop producing any more and post producing own action potential
how are neurotransmitters removed?
3 processes:
reuptake back into pre/SN
broken down by digestive enzymes in synaptic cleft.
diffusion/dispersal away from synaptic cleft.
strength?
research shown using PET scans that provide objective reliable evidence (credible) BUT PET scans don't give detail on synaptic transmission.
weakness?
most evidence is from studying animals, generalising to humans may not be valid, differences in brains. Van Den Oever (2008) studying heroin in rats brain may not generalise to humans.
individual differences? assumed everyone uses transmission in same way
