Analytical and Quantitative in Vivo Monitoring of Brain Neurochemistry by Electrochemical and Imaging Approaches

Quantitative monitoring of brain neurochemistry is aimed at an accurate measurement of chemical basal levels and dynamics defining neuronal activities. Analytical tools must be endowed with high selectivity, sensitivity, and spatiotemporal resolution to tackle this task. On one hand, in vivo electroanalysis combined with miniature electrodes has evolved into a minimally invasive method for probing transient events during neural communication and metabolism. On the other hand, noninvasive imaging techniques have been widely adopted in visualizing the neural structure and processes within a population of neurons in two or three dimensions. This perspective will give a concise review of the inspiring frontiers at the interface of neurochemistry and electrochemistry (microvoltammetry, nanoamperometry, galvanic redox potentiometry and ion transport-based sensing) or imaging (super-resolution single nanotube tracking, deep multiphoton microscopy, and free animal imaging). Potential opportunities with these methods and their combinations for multimodal brain analysis will be discussed, intending to draw a brief picture for future neuroscience research.