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

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

doi:10.64898/2026.11.10.765699

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.11.10.765699

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

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

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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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White, S. R., Shin, J. H., Goldbach, H., Andujar, M., Swanson, E. S., Rimondini, R., Carr, A. L., Anderson, L. G., Cerveny, S. E., Harmon, P. Q., Tangen, A. C., Pelkey, K. A., Azadi, R., Cummins, A. C., McBain, C. J., Averbeck, B., Alvarez, V. A.. 2026-11-11. Striatal dopamine availability peaks in adulthood and undergoes age-dependent modulation. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.11.10.765699

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