Neurochemical imaging reveals changes in dopamine dynamics with photoperiod in a seasonally social vole species

Studying dopamine signaling in nonmodel organisms is crucial for understanding the broad range of behaviors not represented in traditional model systems. However, exploring new species is often hindered by a scarcity of tools suitable for nongenetic models. In this work, we introduce near-infrared catecholamine nanosensors (nIRCats) to investigate dopamine dynamics in meadow voles, a rodent species that exhibits distinct changes in social behavior and neurobiology across photoperiods. We observe increased dopamine release and release site density in voles housed in short photoperiods (which induce a social phenotype), suggesting adaptations linked to environmental changes. Moreover, pharmacological and extracellular manipulations demonstrate that short photoperiod/social voles exhibit heightened responsiveness to dopamine-increasing interventions and resilience against suppressive conditions. These findings highlight a significant association between dopamine signaling and photoperiod-driven changes in social behavior and establish nIRCats as an effective tool for expanding our understanding of dopamine dynamics across nonmodel organisms.