Dopamine is one of the most important transmitters in the brain. Too little dopamine leads to Parkinson's disease. Too much is associated with dysfunctional stereotyped behavior. This transmitter is also crucially involved in reinforcement and reward. During his previous NSF grant, Dr. Wightman has perfected a technique for monitoring the temporal course of dopamine release with high spatial resolution in awake behaving animals. The technique, called in vivo voltammetry, utilizes highly sensitive carbon fiber electrodes that register voltage changes when dopamine is released. Using this technique he will now determine whether the different behavioral effects of dopamine on motor and reward systems are associated with different patterns of release and uptake by neurons in the brain systems that are associated with motor behavior and reward. The results will have wide implications for theories of how the brain coordinates behavior and mediates reward. This project is an example of how new technology makes it possible to answer old questions.***//
