Tonic and phasic dopamine-mediated modulation of prefrontal cortex neurons

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Dopamine (DA) is an important neuromodulator that affects behaviors involving the striatum and prefrontal cortex (PFC). The temporal dynamics of DA signaling strongly constrain proposed theories about DA function. In the PFC, DA release is slow and even a brief application of DA exerts sustained effects on the biophysical properties of PFC neurons recorded in vitro and in vivo that lasts minutes to hours. Based on the known characteristics of the PFC DA system, we proposed the ‘dual-state theory’, positing that the DA modulation of ionic currents in PFC neurons causes networks to switch into one of two distinct states or modes over prolonged periods.