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To create a 2D nanosensor, Kruss and colleagues painted a concentrated solution of the nanotubes onto a glass coverslip. This caused the nanotubes to fluoresce at specific NIR wavelengths when they interacted with dopamine, with a light intensity that is proportional to dopamine concentration. The researchers modified the nanotubes by binding them to a specific set of nucleic acid molecules, which themselves bind to dopamine.

This makes them ideal for imaging, because NIR light can propagate relativity long distances in biological tissues – providing sharper images than visible light. When illuminated with visible light, these structures undergo fluorescence by emitting photons with near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths.

To tackle the challenge, Kruss’ team has fabricated a new type of nanosensor that uses modified, single-walled carbon nanotubes. Yet so far, a clear understanding of how these conditions arise has been limited by the low spatial and temporal resolutions of existing techniques for imaging dopamine concentrations in biological tissues. Scientists know that issues with dopamine exchange are tied to multiple brain disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia and addiction. It controls a wide range of processes in the brain including our sense of reward and motivation.