ECD Innovations

Today, thanks to the ESA Neurotransmitter Analysis system, simultaneous quantitation of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin from a single sample in a single chromatographic-analysis run is fast and easy. At the heart of the system is ESA's flagship Coulochem^® III detector. We pair that with high-performance amperometric electrochemical cells, specially designed pumps, autosamplers, and chromatography components to create an optimized system that makes more-efficient use of each sample delivering information about multiple pathways in a single analysis.

Revolutionary Results in Neurotransmitter Analysis

The figure below shows that ESA's system reliably and simultaneously measured all three monoamines under basal conditions, even in the urethane anesthetized animal where levels are expected to be depressed. Typical basal levels (uncorrected for in vitro recovery) were ~500, 250 and 160 fg/10μL, for norepineprhine (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5HT), respectively. Stimulation with amphetamine (2 mg/kg i.p.) resulted in significant increases of all three monoamine neurotransmitters to ~1,500, 960 and 290 fg/10μL for NE, DA and 5HT, respectively.

Microdialysis samples obtained from a 3 mm concentric microdialysis probe placed in the prefrontal cortex of an anesthetized rat, before and after amphetamine (2 mg/kg i.p.) stimulation