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Updated: May 9, 2026
Dopamine Release at Individual Presynaptic Terminals Visualized with FFNs
Published on: August 31, 2009
Detection of dopamine neurotransmission in "real time"
1Neuroimaging and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York Buffalo, NY, USA ; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, VA Medical Center Buffalo, NY, USA.
Abstract:
Current imaging techniques have limited ability to detect neurotransmitters released during brain processing. It is a critical limitation because neurotransmitters have significant control over the brain activity. In this context, recent development of single-scan dynamic molecular imaging technique is important because it allows detection, mapping, and measurement of dopamine released in the brain during task performance. The technique exploits the competition between endogenously released dopamine and its receptor ligand for occupancy of receptor sites. Dopamine released during task performance is detected by dynamically measuring concentration of intravenously injected radiolabeled ligand using a positron emission tomography (PET) camera. Based on the ligand concentration, values of receptor kinetic parameters are estimated. These estimates allow detection of dopamine released in the human brain during task performance.
