Concurrent on-line analysis of striatal ascorbate, dopamine and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid concentrations by in vivo voltammetry.

A new method for on-line analysis of in vivo differential normal pulse voltammograms is reported. They are fitted by least squares to an expression describing the contribution of different electroactive species and the baseline. Its validity for resolving ascorbate (AA), dopamine (DA) and DOPAC signals is evidenced by both in vitro testing and the changes recorded in the striatum of anesthetized rats following drug treatments having well-known effects on DA release and metabolism. Thus, pargyline and amphetamine treatments respectively increased and decreased DA and DOPAC, whereas they both were increased by haloperidol. AA levels followed those of DA except when haloperidol was given.