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

Striatal dopamine availability shows a delayed developmental peak in adulthood, with age-dependent modulation of dopamine release regulation by GABA and acetylcholine across primates and rodents.

• Why it matters: Age increases risk for psychiatric disorders, but the lifespan trajectory of striatal dopamine release capacity—and how it changes—remains largely undefined in most species.
• What they did: The study measured lifespan trajectories of striatal dopamine in primates and rodents, then assessed age-dependent changes in dopamine release regulation involving GABA and acetylcholine.
• The result: The findings identify an adulthood peak and cross-species, age-related shifts in how GABA and acetylcholine regulate dopamine release, informing models of neuropsychiatric vulnerability.

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