The goal of this project is to measure the dynamics of the concentration of dopamine in the extracellular fluid of the brain. Dopamine is a recognized neurotransmitter which plays an important role in regulating neuronal activity in several regions of the brain which deal with olfaction, movement, and other brain functions. Numerous pharmacological agents are known to act at the dopamine synapse. These agents include stimulants, neuroleptics, antidepressants, and anti-Parkinsonian drugs. Thus, dopamine clearly plays an important regulatory role in the brain, and direct, time-resolved measurements of its action should provide new insights into the underlying factors which regulate this neurotransmitter. Dr. Mark Wightman is continuing his development of voltammetric technologies which will allow in vivo analysis with subsecond time resolution for measuring dopamine.
