How can I measure brain acetylcholine levels in vivo? Advantages and caveats of commonly used approaches

Measurement of acetylcholine (ACh) dynamics in the brain is essential for understanding a wide range of behavioral processes, including attention, learning, memory, motivation, anxiety, mood, appetite, and reward. This review outlines a number of techniques that have been developed to measure ACh levels in the brain in vivo with a deeper focus on use of genetically-encoded fluorescent sensors coupled with fiber photometry, an accessible technique that can be used to monitor neurotransmitter release with high temporal resolution and specificity. AbstractThe neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) plays a central role in the regulation of multiple cognitive and behavioral processes, including attention, learning, memory, motivation, anxiety, mood, appetite, and reward. As a result, understanding ACh dynamics in the brain is essential for elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying these processes. In vivo measurements of ACh in the brain have been challenging because of the low concentrations and rapid turnover of this neurotransmitter. Here, we review a number of techniques that have been developed to measure ACh levels in the brain in vivo. We follow this with a deeper focus on use of genetically encoded fluorescent sensors coupled with fiber photometry, an accessible technique that can be used to monitor neurotransmitter release with high temporal resolution and specificity. We conclude with a discussion of methods for analyzing fiber photometry data and their respective advan...
Source: Journal of Neurochemistry - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: REVIEW Source Type: research