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Updated: May 30, 2026

Single Cell Measurement of Dopamine Release with Simultaneous Voltage-clamp and Amperometry
Published on: November 21, 2012
The Basal Ganglia as a Substrate for the Multiple Actions of Amphetamines
Reka Natarajan1, Bryan K Yamamoto
1Department of Neurosciences University of Toledo College of Medicine Toledo, Ohio 43614.
Abstract:
Amphetamines are psychostimulant drugs with high abuse potential. Acute and chronic doses of amphetamines affect dopamine (DA) neurotransmission in the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia are a group of subcortical nuclei that are anatomically positioned to integrate cognitive, motor and sensorimotor inputs from the cortex. Amphetamines can differentially alter the functioning of specific BG circuits to produce neurochemical changes that affect cognition, movement, and drug seeking behavior through their effects on DA neurotransmission. This review focuses on how alterations in dopaminergic neurotransmission within distinct basal ganglia pathways can modify their functional output to predict and explain the acute and long term behavioral consequences of amphetamine exposure.
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