title: A few important points about dopamine's role in neural network dynamics.
abstract: Dopamine modifies a large variety of cellular and synaptic biophysical parameters in a seemingly paradoxical manner. Predicting their implications for neural network dynamics and computation seems difficult. Here I briefly review experimental and simulation data which illustrate that the diverse ionic consequences may combine such that dopamine's overall effect strongly depends on the activity state of the postsynaptic network, potentially with a temporal profile. These properties could be crucial for understanding dopamine's functional role.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience, University of Plymouth, United Kingdom. daniel.durstewitz@plymouth.ac.uk
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Durstewitz
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D004298:Dopamine