Measuring dopamine in the human brain while people use working memory
Direct Dopamine Recording From Humans Engaging Working Memory
The team will record dopamine signals in people with epilepsy as they do short-term memory tasks to learn how dopamine helps keep information in mind.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11140541 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have medication-resistant epilepsy and are undergoing invasive monitoring with implanted electrodes, researchers will record chemical signals called dopamine from brain areas involved in memory while you perform brief memory tasks. The team uses a fast electrochemical method (fast-scan cyclic voltammetry) combined with machine-learning analysis to capture very fast changes in dopamine. Recordings will target the lateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and hippocampus during task delays and distraction periods to map phasic and tonic dopamine patterns. Data collection happens during the standard clinical phase-II monitoring period when electrodes are already implanted for seizure localization.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with medication-resistant epilepsy who are scheduled for intracranial (phase II) monitoring with electrodes placed in the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, or hippocampus.
Not a fit: People without implanted electrodes, those not undergoing invasive epilepsy monitoring, or those whose electrode placements do not cover the target brain regions would not be eligible and are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A clearer picture of how dopamine supports working memory could guide new treatments for attention and memory problems in conditions like ADHD and other psychiatric disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Recent pilot work has successfully recorded neuromodulators in epilepsy patients, but applying fast, direct dopamine measurements to working memory in humans is relatively new and still being developed.
Where this research is happening
Blacksburg, United States
- Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ — Blacksburg, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Montague, P Read — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Montague, P Read
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.