Describe one effect of neurotransmission on behaviour.

Neurotransmission is the process that takes place in the gap between two neurons, called a synapse. Chemical substances called neurotransmitters pass across the synapse and stimulate an action potential across the neurons, which allows for electrical impulses to be transferred from one neuron to another. An example of a neurotransmitter is serotonin. Serotonin is associated with mood and often regulating happiness. It is suggested that low levels of serotonin is associated with depression. Low levels of serotonin are also related to intense spiritual experiences, which could explain the possible relationship between fasting and religion. To investigate this, Kasamatsu and Hirai conducted a study to see the effect of sensory deprivation and behaviour in Monks. They studied a group of Buddhist monks who embarked on a 72 hour pilgrimage. They did not consume any water or food. They did not communicate with each other, and were also deprived of sensory heat as they were exposed to cold weather. The researchers took a sample of blood before the pilgrimage and immediately after the monks reported hallucinations. They found that there were higher levels of serotonin in the blood sample taken after the reported hallucinations. This suggests that the higher levels had activated the hypothalamus and frontal cortex which resulted in these hallucinations. They were able to conclude that the deprivation experienced by the monks lead to a triggered release of serotonin, consequently affecting the way the monks viewed the world- they saw images that were not there. This study therefore is able to show that high levels of the neurotransmitter can affect human behaviour of seeing hallucinations of ancestors.