Reducing Data Density in Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry Measurements of Dopamine Dynamics

Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) has proven utility for monitoring rapid neurochemical changes, and for associating these with behavior. Traditional protocols involve collection of 10 voltammograms per second, each comprised of 1000 data points. This was established without consideration for data density, and few studies have evaluated the impact of data collection parameters on data quality. In this work, FSCV data collection protocols were evaluated with an emphasis on reducing sampling rates (number of CVs collected per second) and the number of data points comprising each individual voltammogram. Pairing a 1 Hz sampling rate with voltammograms comprised of 100 data points each reduces the quantity of data by two orders of magnitude (per second) as compared to the traditional protocol. The frequency and duration of transient dopamine fluctuations are dependent on voltammetric sampling rate; however, the information associated with these chemical signals is largely conserved when using this approach. Moreover, collection of data at reduced densities does not significantly impact interpretation of the effects of cocaine on dopamine dynamics when data are normalized to baseline. This research will help guide development of wireless FSCV systems with decreased power requirements, and will facilitate expansion of data collection to many channels operating simultaneously.