Tonic and phasic dopamine-mediated modulation of prefrontal cortex neurons

多巴胺(DA)是影响纹状体和前额叶皮质(PFC)行为的重要神经调节剂。DA信号的时间动力学特性强烈地制约了已有的DA功能理论。在PFC中，DA的释放是缓慢的，即使是短暂的DA应用也会对体外和体内记录的PFC神经元的生物物理性质产生持续的影响，持续几分钟到几个小时。基于PFC DA系统的已知特性，我们提出了双态理论，认为PFC神经元离子电流的DA调制导致网络在较长时间内切换到两种截然不同的状态或模式之一。

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.