Fiber Optic SPR based Dopamine Sensor utilizing GNP/SnO 2 Nanocomposite Supported Molecular Imprinting

Dopamine (DA) belongs to the catecholamine family of neurotransmitters and is very important for humans. It is produced in adrenal glands and several areas of the brain. Dopamine is formed by decarboxylation of DOPA and is a precursor of two other neurotransmitters adrenaline and noradrenalin. Dopamine is the most abundant of the catecholamine, hence affects many aspects of brain functionality such as movement, emotional response and ability to experience pain and pleasure. Dopamine also affects the cardiovascular and renal systems. Excessive secretion of DA (e.g., due to Huntington’s disease) is associated with failure in energy metabolism and causes untimely death. Differently low levels of dopamine in the central nervous system causes several neurological diseases, for example schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, it is important to detect dopamine level efficiently in human body [1].