Year: 2003
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Dopamine is a potent neuromodulator in the brain, influencing a variety of motivated behaviors and involved in several neurologic diseases. Measurements of extracellular dopamine in the brains of experimental animals have traditionally focused on a tonic timescale (minutes to hours). However, dopamine concentrations are now known to fluctuate on a phasic timescale (subseconds to seconds). APPROACH: Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry provides analytical chemical measurements of phasic dopamine signals in the rat brain. CONTENT: Procedural aspects of the technique are discussed, with regard to appropriate use and in comparison with other methods. Finally, examples of data collected using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry are summarized, including naturally occurring dopamine transients and signals arising from electrical stimulation of dopamine neurons. SUMMARY: Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry offers real-time measurements of changes in extracellular dopamine concentrations in vivo. With its subsecond time resolution, micrometer-dimension spatial resolution, and chemical selectivity, it is the most suitable technique currently available to measure transient concentration changes of dopamine.
Source: Clinical Chemistry
DOI: 10.1373/49.10.1763
Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Language: English
Subfield: Electrochemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2120968628