During this period the dominant paradigm centered on establishing that CNS communication is primarily chemical in nature, with distinct transmitter actions at excitatory and inhibitory synapses. A complementary thread emphasized rapid advances in the anatomical and electrical underpinnings of transmission, linking membrane conductance changes to postsynaptic potentials. Researchers increasingly integrated physiology with electron microscopy to reveal synaptic structure and organization across brain regions, catalyzing the concept of specific synaptic contacts that support learning and processing.