Voltammetry of Dopamine Release During Behavior

神经科学的一个主要问题是将我们对神经系统中化学信使的了解与实际行为联系起来。该项目结合了化学和生物科学研究人员的专业知识，以解决神经递质释放和行为之间关系的问题。在中枢神经系统中，研究最多的神经递质是多巴胺。尽管多巴胺在行为中的作用一直是深入研究的主题，但它在许多行为中的具体作用仍不清楚。进展缓慢的部分原因是缺乏观察行为过程中多巴胺释放的方法。Drs。约瑟夫·贾斯蒂斯和达里尔·尼尔开发了一种新技术，将用于监测行为动物的神经递质释放。特别是多巴胺的释放与奖励的关系，将通过颅内自我刺激、药物自我刺激和食物奖励来研究。行为学研究表明，多巴胺在这三种不同刺激的奖励中发挥了作用。直接观察被认为介导这些行为的神经化学底物将大大提高我们对多巴胺释放和行为的理解。

One of the major issues in neuroscience is tying what we know about chemical messengers in the nervous system to actual behaviors. This project combines the expertise of investigators in the chemical and biological sciences to address the problem of the relationship of neurotransmitter release and behavior. The most studied neurotransmitter in the central nervous system is dopamine. Although the role that dopamine plays in behavior has been the subject of intensive investigation, its specific role in a number of behaviors is still not understood. Part of the reason for the slow progress has been the absence of methods which allow observation of dopamine release during behavior. Drs. Joseph Justice and Darryl Neill have developed new techniques which will be utilized to monitor neurotransmitter release in behaving animals. In particular the relationship of dopamine release and reward will be investigated, using intracranial self-stimulation, drug self-stimulation and food reward. Behavioral studies have indicated a role of dopamine in the reward of these three different stimuli. Direct observation of the neurochemical substrate thought to mediate these behaviors will significantly enhance our understanding of dopamine release and behavior.