Striatal dopamine availability peaks in adulthood and undergoes age-dependent modulation

S. R. White; J. H. Shin; H. Goldbach; M. Andujar; E. S. Swanson; R. Rimondini; A. L. Carr; L. G. Anderson; S. E. Cerveny; P. Q. Harmon; A. C. Tangen; K. A. Pelkey; R. Azadi; A. C. Cummins; C. J. McBain; B. Averbeck; Veronica A Alvarez

doi:10.64898/2026.11.10.765699

NeurosciencebioRxivNov 11, 2026

Preprint

Striatal dopamine availability peaks in adulthood and undergoes age-dependent modulation

S. R. White, J. H. Shin, H. Goldbach, M. Andujar, E. S. Swanson, R. Rimondini, A. L. Carr, L. G. Anderson, S. E. Cerveny, P. Q. Harmon, A. C. Tangen, K. A. Pelkey, R. Azadi, A. C. Cummins, C. J. McBain, B. Averbeck, Veronica A Alvarez

Abstract

Age is a risk factor for several psychiatric disorders. An adolescent peak in striatal dopamine availability is thought to contribute to the neuropsychiatric vulnerability. However, the lifespan trajectory of striatal dopamine release capacity is undefined in most species. Here, we measured lifespan trajectories of striatal dopamine in primates and rodents and identified a delayed developmental peak in adulthood and age-dependent changes in dopamine release regulation by GABA and acetylcholine across species.

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