Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Ultra-Fast Sensors To Study The Fundamental Neurochemistry Underlying Disease, Alyssa West

Theses and Dissertations

Serotonin is a vital neurotransmitter whose exact roles are ill-defined. Dysfunctions in serotonin signaling are thought to underlie a myriad of neurological problems including depression and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Prior to investigating serotonin’s role in disease states, one must understand more about the functionality of serotonin in healthy in vivo models. To study serotonin in vivo, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) and fast- scan controlled adsorption voltammetry (FSCAV) are employed to measure evoked and basal serotonin concentration, respectively. These methods, combined with mathematical modeling, provide information regarding regulatory mechanisms of serotonin neurotransmission. FSCV and FSCAV are first applied to …