New dopamine sensor may help diagnose, treat AADC deficiency
Researchers say accuracy 'paramount' for treating neurodegenerative diseases
Researchers have developed a new sensor to detect dopamine, which may be a useful tool for diagnosing and treating neurological diseases such as aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency.
The sensor was described in the study, “Electrochemical Dopamine Sensing Using Mn-Doped CeO2 Nanomaterial-Modified Carbon Paste Electrode for Biomedical Applications,” published in the Journal of the Indian Chemical Society.Â
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter — a signaling molecule that nerve cells use to communicate with each other and with the rest of the body. Dopamine signaling plays key roles in controlling movement, thoughts, and emotions.
AADC is an enzyme that’s critical for the production of dopamine, as well as a few other neurotransmitters. AADC deficiency is a genetic disorder marked by reduced activity of this enzyme, leading to low dopamine levels.
Dopamine is centrally involved in several other neurological disorders. For example, Parkinson’s disease is marked by the death and degeneration of dopamine-making nerve cells in the brain.
New device is ‘stable, reliable, practical,’ researchers say
Since dopamine plays such a key role in health and disease, it’s important for scientists to have tools that can accurately measure dopamine levels, said the researchers, in India.
“Developing an accurate, reliable, and highly sensitive device for measuring [dopamine] is paramount for the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases like AADC,” the scientists wrote.
They developed a device consisting of an electrode covered in a nanomaterial compound called manganese-doped cerium oxide (MCO). When dopamine interacts with the MCO nanomaterial, it triggers an electrical charge that the electrode can detect. The strength of the electrical signals can then be extrapolated to calculate dopamine levels.
The researchers conducted a battery of proof-of-concept tests to show that their nanomaterial electrode worked as designed. They demonstrated that their sensor could indeed detect dopamine with high accuracy and that its accuracy wasn’t substantially impaired when other biological molecules were also thrown into the mix.
“The sensor demonstrated a low detection threshold, a broad linear detection range, and a rapid response time, highlighting its strong analytical performance,” they wrote. “These outcomes reflect the electrode’s superior charge transfer efficiency and high dopamine-binding capability, essential features for dependable neurotransmitter monitoring.”
The electrode “demonstrated distinctive selectivity in addition to its great sensitivity, correctly detecting dopamine even when typical interfering substances … were present,” the researchers wrote.
They said they believe the sensor is “a stable, reliable, and practical platform for precise [dopamine] detection in clinical and biochemical applications.”
About the Author
