In vivo brain microdialysis: advances in neuropsychopharmacology and drug discovery

Areas covered: We present a brief overview of principles and procedures related to in vivo microdialysis and detail the use of this technique in the preclinical assessment of drugs designed for use in the treatment of chemical addiction, neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia. This review offers insights into the utility and versatility of this technique in pursuing neuropharmacological investigations and its potential in rational drug discovery. Expert opinion: In vivo microdialysis is a versatile technique, routinely used in pharmacological investigations of drugs for neurological disorders. Notably, it has been a powerful tool to elucidate neurochemical profiles and mechanisms of action of several classes of drugs and their effects on neurotransmitter systems. The exploitation and development of this technique for drug discovery will enable investigational new drug candidates to be rapidly moved into clinical trials, thus providing new therapies so in demand for neurological diseases.