Principles of Dopamine Binding to Carbon Surfaces

Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry (FSCV) combined with carbon electrodes is considered as the gold standard method for real-time detection of oxidizable neurotransmitters. The bioinert nature, rapid electron transfer kinetics and long-term stability make carbon an attractive material for probing brain electrochemistry. Herein, we first demonstrate a rapid fabrication process of carbonized nanopipettes and subsequently perform experimental measurements and theoretical simulations to study mechanisms of dopamine binding on carbonized surfaces. To explain the kinetics of dopamine oxidation on carbonized electrodes we adapted the electron-proton transfer model originally developed by Compton and found that the electron-proton transfer model best explains the experimental observations. We further investigated the electron-proton transfer theory by constructing a Density Function Theory (DFT) for visualization of dopamine binding to graphite-like surfaces consisting of heteroatoms. For graphite surfaces that are capped with hydrogen alone, we found that dopamine is oxidized, whereas, on graphite surfaces doped with heteroatoms such as nitrogen and oxygen, we found deprotonation of dopamine along with oxidation thus validating our experimental and theoretical data. These observations provide mechanistic insights into multistep electron transfer during dopamine oxidation on graphite surfaces.Graphical abstractA: Pictorial view of the experimental setup of carbonized electrodes. The application of waveform causes the oxidation of dopamine. B. Background subtracted voltammogram of dopamine, wherein the waveform applied is -0.4V to 1.3V and cycled back at -0.4V at 200 V s-1 at 10 Hz. C: A hotspot showing the oxidation and reduction of dopamine, wherein two distinct redox spots can be seen. The first redox spot can be seen at 0.0V and the second one at 0.5V. Thus showing a multistep electron transfer for dopamine. D: A DFT model for dopamine’s interaction with graphite surfaces doped with nitrogen atoms. Oxidation of oxygen (red) can be seen with loss of protons.

On the learning of addictive behavior: Sensation-seeking propensity predicts dopamine turnover in dorsal striatum

We asked if sensation-seeking is linked to premorbid personality characteristics in patients with addictive disorders, or the characteristics follow the sensation-seeking activity. We interpreted the former as a state associated with normal rates of dopamine synthesis, and the latter as a trait of individuals with abnormally high rates of synthesis. We previously determined dopaminergic receptor density in striatum, and we now tested the hypothesis that an elevated dopaminergic condition with increased extracellular dopamine and receptor density follows increased dopamine synthesis capacity in highly sensation-seeking individuals, as measured by positron emission tomography of 18 men with tracer fluorodopa (FDOPA). We detected a site in left caudate nucleus where the volume of distribution of FDOPA-derived metabolites correlated negatively with FDOPA metabolite turnover, consistent with decreased metabolite breakdown in highly sensation-seeking subjects. High rates of sensation-seeking attenuated the dopamine turnover in association with a low rate of dopamine recycling, low dopamine oxidation, and elevated extracellular dopamine and receptors in caudate nucleus. In contrast, low rates of sensation-seeking were associated with rapid dopamine recycling, rapid dopamine oxidation, low extracellular dopamine, and low receptor density. We conclude that the modulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission associated with sensation-seeking is a state of sensation-seeking, rather than a trait of personality following abnormal regulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission.

Investigation of the Shape Effects of Green Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles on Electrochemical Detection of Dopamine

Herein, this study shows three different synthesis of gold nanoparticles with various nano-shapes and an investigation of the correlation between nano-shapes and electrochemical effects on dopamine oxidation. To synthesize nano-shaped gold nanoparticles green reducing sources such as rose extract, glucose, and pomegranate juice were used. Thereby, three different gold nanoparticles were synthesized. In order to examine nanoparticle shapes microscopic and spectroscopic characterizations of nanoparticles were carried out. Subsequently the effects of shapes on electrochemical probes and dopamine were accomplished. As a result, it was confirmed that the shapes of the same metal nanoparticles had different effects on electrochemical experiments.