Monitoring Neuronal Dynamics in the Ventral Tegmental Area Using an Implantable Microimaging Device With Microdialysis System

To monitor dopamine neural activities in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in response to nicotine, we designed a dopamine platform based on a microimaging device and a microdialysis system. We measured dopamine (DA) release in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) by a micro dialysis system and monitored DA neurons activities by fluorescence imaging in the VTA using a microimaging device simultaneously. GCaMP6 transgenic mice were used in this study, and the change in the fluorescence ratio intensity associated with nicotine administration was estimated. Our results suggested that nicotine administration increased the DA neurons activity in the VTA as well as the DA release in the PFC and the NAc. The proposed platform has the potential to monitor neural activities in the deep brain regions of rodents.