I. Minireview: Neurochemical applications of liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

Abstract Liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (LCEC) has been shown to have unique advantages for the determination of many substances of neurochemical interest. The technique is rapid, sensitive, and relatively inexpensive. In addition, it avoids the need for radiolabelled substances, the formation of volatile derivatives, or reactions which generate fluorescent products. LCEC is widely used for the measurement of the catecholamines and their metabolites and has recently gained acceptance for determination of the neurochemically important tryptophan metabolites. The method is also capable of assessing the activity of a number of neurologically important enzymes. The review which follows is intended to provide a brief overview of the LCEC technique and a guide to recent literature exemplifying its neurochemical applications.