ABSTRACT

Brain slices have been used to study the factors controlling monoamine release, and considerable information has been gleaned. In vivo voltammetry is most commonly used to measure the three major monoamine neurotransmitters, dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin or their metabolites. The early history of in vivo voltammetry was plagued by overconfident data interpretation and, in many respects, this delayed the acceptance of the technique for some time. Despite the iteration of the criteria, one should not be left with the impression that voltammetry is a difficult technique to apply to brain slices. The brain is rapidly but carefully removed and thoroughly bathed with ice-cold artificial cerebrospinal fluid to lower the tissue temperature. By appropriate calibration of the current, it is possible to calculate the concentration of monoamine present in unknown solutions or brain areas. The positioning of electrodes in brain slices is performed under visual control.