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Marstrand-Joergensen MR, Laurell GL, Herrmann S, Nasser A, Johansen A, Lund A, Andersen TL, Knudsen GM, Pinborg LH. Assessment of cerebral drug occupancy in humans using a single PET-scan: A [ 11C]UCB-J PET study. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2024:10.1007/s00259-024-06759-x. [PMID: 38758370 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-024-06759-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Here, we evaluate a PET displacement model with a Single-step and Numerical solution in healthy individuals using the synaptic vesicle glycoprotein (SV2A) PET-tracer [11C]UCB-J and the anti-seizure medication levetiracetam (LEV). We aimed to (1) validate the displacement model by comparing the brain LEV-SV2A occupancy from a single PET scan with the occupancy derived from two PET scans and the Lassen plot and (2) determine the plasma LEV concentration-SV2A occupancy curve in healthy individuals. METHODS Eleven healthy individuals (five females, mean age 35.5 [range: 25-47] years) underwent two 120-min [11C]UCB-J PET scans where an LEV dose (5-30 mg/kg) was administered intravenously halfway through the first PET scan to partially displace radioligand binding to SV2A. Five individuals were scanned twice on the same day; the remaining six were scanned once on two separate days, receiving two identical LEV doses. Arterial blood samples were acquired to determine the arterial input function and plasma LEV concentrations. Using the displacement model, the SV2A-LEV target engagement was calculated and compared with the Lassen plot method. The resulting data were fitted with a single-site binding model. RESULTS SV2A occupancies and VND estimates derived from the displacement model were not significantly different from the Lassen plot (p = 0.55 and 0.13, respectively). The coefficient of variation was 14.6% vs. 17.3% for the Numerical and the Single-step solution in Bland-Altman comparisons with the Lassen plot. The average half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50), as estimated from the area under the curve of the plasma LEV concentration, was 12.5 µg/mL (95% CI: 5-25) for the Single-Step solution, 11.8 µg/mL (95% CI: 4-25) for the Numerical solution, and 6.3 µg/mL (95% CI: 0.08-21) for the Lassen plot. Constraining Emax to 100% did not significantly improve model fits. CONCLUSION Plasma LEV concentration vs. SV2A occupancy can be determined in humans using a single PET scan displacement model. The average concentration of the three computed IC50 values ranges between 6.3 and 12.5 µg/mL. The next step is to use the displacement model to evaluate LEV occupancy and corresponding plasma concentrations in relation to treatment efficacy. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT05450822. Retrospectively registered 5 July 2022 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results? term=NCT05450822&Search=Search.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja R Marstrand-Joergensen
- Epilepsy Clinic, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen O, 2100, Denmark
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Rigshospitalet, Building 8057, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen, 8057, DK-2100, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gjertrud L Laurell
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Rigshospitalet, Building 8057, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen, 8057, DK-2100, Denmark
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Area, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Susan Herrmann
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark
| | - Arafat Nasser
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Rigshospitalet, Building 8057, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen, 8057, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Annette Johansen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Rigshospitalet, Building 8057, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen, 8057, DK-2100, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - Anton Lund
- Department of Neuroanaesthesiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - Thomas L Andersen
- Department of Clinical Physiology & Nuclear Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gitte M Knudsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Rigshospitalet, Building 8057, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen, 8057, DK-2100, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars H Pinborg
- Epilepsy Clinic, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen O, 2100, Denmark.
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Rigshospitalet, Building 8057, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen, 8057, DK-2100, Denmark.
- Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark.
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Bavarsad MS, Grinberg LT. SV2A PET imaging in human neurodegenerative diseases. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1380561. [PMID: 38699560 PMCID: PMC11064927 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1380561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
This manuscript presents a thorough review of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) as a biomarker for synaptic integrity using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in neurodegenerative diseases. Synaptic pathology, characterized by synaptic loss, has been linked to various brain diseases. Therefore, there is a need for a minimally invasive approach to measuring synaptic density in living human patients. Several radiotracers targeting synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) have been created and effectively adapted for use in human subjects through PET scans. SV2A is an integral glycoprotein found in the membranes of synaptic vesicles in all synaptic terminals and is widely distributed throughout the brain. The review delves into the development of SV2A-specific PET radiotracers, highlighting their advancements and limitations in neurodegenerative diseases. Among these tracers, 11C-UCB-J is the most used so far. We summarize and discuss an increasing body of research that compares measurements of synaptic density using SV2A PET with other established indicators of neurodegenerative diseases, including cognitive performance and radiological findings, thus providing a comprehensive analysis of SV2A's effectiveness and reliability as a diagnostic tool in contrast to traditional markers. Although the literature overall suggests the promise of SV2A as a diagnostic and therapeutic monitoring tool, uncertainties persist regarding the superiority of SV2A as a biomarker compared to other available markers. The review also underscores the paucity of studies characterizing SV2A distribution and loss in human brain tissue from patients with neurodegenerative diseases, emphasizing the need to generate quantitative neuropathological maps of SV2A density in cases with neurodegenerative diseases to fully harness the potential of SV2A PET imaging in clinical settings. We conclude by outlining future research directions, stressing the importance of integrating SV2A PET imaging with other biomarkers and clinical assessments and the need for longitudinal studies to track SV2A changes throughout neurodegenerative disease progression, which could lead to breakthroughs in early diagnosis and the evaluation of new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lea T. Grinberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States
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DiFilippo A, Jonaitis E, Makuch R, Gambetti B, Fleming V, Ennis G, Barnhart T, Engle J, Bendlin B, Johnson S, Handen B, Krinsky-McHale S, Hartley S, Christian B. Measurement of synaptic density in Down syndrome using PET imaging: a pilot study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4676. [PMID: 38409349 PMCID: PMC10897336 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54669-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is the most prevalent genetic cause of intellectual disability, resulting from trisomy 21. Recently, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has been used to image synapses in vivo. The motivation for this pilot study was to investigate whether synaptic density in low functioning adults with DS can be evaluated using the PET radiotracer [11C]UCB-J. Data were acquired from low functioning adults with DS (n = 4) and older neurotypical (NT) adults (n = 37). Motion during the scans required the use of a 10-minute acquisition window for the calculation of synaptic density using SUVR50-60,CS which was determined to be a suitable approximation for specific binding in this analysis using dynamic data from the NT group. Of the regions analyzed a large effect was observed when comparing DS and NT hippocampus and cerebral cortex synaptic density as well as hippocampus and cerebellum volumes. In this pilot study, PET imaging of [11C]UCB-J was successfully completed and synaptic density measured in low functioning DS adults. This work provides the basis for studies where synaptic density may be compared between larger groups of NT adults and adults with DS who have varying degrees of baseline cognitive status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra DiFilippo
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Erin Jonaitis
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Renee Makuch
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Brianna Gambetti
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Victoria Fleming
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Gilda Ennis
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Todd Barnhart
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jonathan Engle
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Barbara Bendlin
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Sterling Johnson
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Benjamin Handen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sharon Krinsky-McHale
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Sigan Hartley
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Bradley Christian
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
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Vanderlinden G, Carron C, Vandenberghe R, Vandenbulcke M, Van Laere K. In vivo PET of synaptic density as potential diagnostic marker for cognitive disorders: prospective comparison with current imaging markers for neuronal dysfunction and relation to symptomatology - study protocol. BMC Med Imaging 2024; 24:41. [PMID: 38347458 PMCID: PMC10860316 DOI: 10.1186/s12880-024-01224-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 18F-FDG brain PET is clinically used for differential diagnosis in cognitive dysfunction of unclear etiology and for exclusion of a neurodegenerative cause in patients with cognitive impairment in late-life psychiatric disorders. 18F-FDG PET measures regional glucose metabolism, which represents a combination of neuronal/synaptic activity but also astrocytic activity and neuroinflammation. Recently, imaging of synaptic vesicle protein 2 A (SV2A) has become available and was shown to be a proxy of synaptic density. This prospective study will investigate the use of 18F-SynVesT-1 for imaging SV2A and its discriminative power for differential diagnosis in cognitive disorders in a head-to-head comparison to 18F-FDG PET. In addition, simultaneous PET/MR allows an evaluation of contributing factors and the additional value of advanced MRI imaging to FDG/SV2A PET imaging will be investigated. In this work, the study design and protocol are depicted. METHODS In this prospective, multimodal imaging study, 110 patients with uncertain diagnosis of cognitive impairment who are referred for 18F-FDG PET brain imaging in their diagnostic work-up in a tertiary memory clinic will be recruited. In addition, 40 healthy volunteers (HV) between 18 and 85 years (M/F) will be included. All study participants will undergo simultaneous 18F-SynVesT-1 PET/MR and an extensive neuropsychological evaluation. Amyloid status will be measured by PET using 18FNAV4694, in HV above 50 years of age. Structural T1-weighted and T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MR images, triple-tagging arterial spin labeling (ASL) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) will be obtained. The study has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05384353) and is approved by the local Research Ethics Committee. DISCUSSION The main endpoint of the study will be the comparison of the diagnostic accuracy between 18F-SynVesT-1 and 18F-FDG PET in cognitive disorders with uncertain etiology and in exclusion of a neurodegenerative cause in patients with cognitive impairment in late-life psychiatric disorders. The strength of the relationship between cognition and imaging data will be assessed, as well as the potential incremental diagnostic value of including MR volumetry, ASL perfusion and rs-fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greet Vanderlinden
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Charles Carron
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rik Vandenberghe
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Vandenbulcke
- Research Group Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Old-Age Psychiatry, University Hospitals UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Van Laere
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
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Visser M, O'Brien JT, Mak E. In vivo imaging of synaptic density in neurodegenerative disorders with positron emission tomography: A systematic review. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 94:102197. [PMID: 38266660 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Positron emission tomography (PET) with radiotracers that bind to synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 A (SV2A) enables quantification of synaptic density in the living human brain. Assessing the regional distribution and severity of synaptic density loss will contribute to our understanding of the pathological processes that precede atrophy in neurodegeneration. In this systematic review, we provide a discussion of in vivo SV2A PET imaging research for quantitative assessment of synaptic density in various dementia conditions: amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's disease, Frontotemporal dementia, Progressive supranuclear palsy and Corticobasal degeneration, Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy bodies, Huntington's disease, and Spinocerebellar Ataxia. We discuss the main findings concerning group differences and clinical-cognitive correlations, and explore relations between SV2A PET and other markers of pathology. Additionally, we touch upon synaptic density in healthy ageing and outcomes of radiotracer validation studies. Studies were identified on PubMed and Embase between 2018 and 2023; last searched on the 3rd of July 2023. A total of 36 studies were included, comprising 5 on normal ageing, 21 clinical studies, and 10 validation studies. Extracted study characteristics were participant details, methodological aspects, and critical findings. In summary, the small but growing literature on in vivo SV2A PET has revealed different spatial patterns of synaptic density loss among various neurodegenerative disorders that correlate with cognitive functioning, supporting the potential role of SV2A PET imaging for differential diagnosis. SV2A PET imaging shows tremendous capability to provide novel insights into the aetiology of neurodegenerative disorders and great promise as a biomarker for synaptic density reduction. Novel directions for future synaptic density research are proposed, including (a) longitudinal imaging in larger patient cohorts of preclinical dementias, (b) multi-modal mapping of synaptic density loss onto other pathological processes, and (c) monitoring therapeutic responses and assessing drug efficacy in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malouke Visser
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - John T O'Brien
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Elijah Mak
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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van Dyck CH, Mecca AP, O'Dell RS, Bartlett HH, Diepenbrock NG, Huang Y, Hamby ME, Grundman M, Catalano SM, Caggiano AO, Carson RE. A pilot study to evaluate the effect of CT1812 treatment on synaptic density and other biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:20. [PMID: 38273408 PMCID: PMC10809445 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01382-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effective, disease-modifying therapeutics for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remain a large unmet need. Extensive evidence suggests that amyloid beta (Aβ) is central to AD pathophysiology, and Aβ oligomers are among the most toxic forms of Aβ. CT1812 is a novel brain penetrant sigma-2 receptor ligand that interferes with the binding of Aβ oligomers to neurons. Preclinical studies of CT1812 have demonstrated its ability to displace Aβ oligomers from neurons, restore synapses in cell cultures, and improve cognitive measures in mouse models of AD. CT1812 was found to be generally safe and well tolerated in a placebo-controlled phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers and phase 1a/2 clinical trials in patients with mild to moderate dementia due to AD. The unique objective of this study was to incorporate synaptic positron emission tomography (PET) imaging as an outcome measure for CT1812 in AD patients. METHODS The present phase 1/2 study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial conducted in 23 participants with mild to moderate dementia due to AD to primarily evaluate the safety of CT1812 and secondarily its pharmacodynamic effects. Participants received either placebo or 100 mg or 300 mg per day of oral CT1812 for 24 weeks. Pharmacodynamic effects were assessed using the exploratory efficacy endpoints synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) PET, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET, volumetric MRI, cognitive clinical measures, as well as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of AD pathology and synaptic degeneration. RESULTS No treatment differences relative to placebo were observed in the change from baseline at 24 weeks in either SV2A or FDG PET signal, the cognitive clinical rating scales, or in CSF biomarkers. Composite region volumetric MRI revealed a trend towards tissue preservation in participants treated with either dose of CT1812, and nominally significant differences with both doses of CT1812 compared to placebo were found in the pericentral, prefrontal, and hippocampal cortices. CT1812 was safe and well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS The safety findings of this 24-week study and the observed changes on volumetric MRI with CT1812 support its further clinical development. TRIAL REGISTRATION The clinical trial described in this manuscript is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03493282).
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher H van Dyck
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Adam P Mecca
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ryan S O'Dell
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Hugh H Bartlett
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nina G Diepenbrock
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yiyun Huang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mary E Hamby
- Cognition Therapeutics Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michael Grundman
- Global R&D Partners, LLC, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | | | | | - Richard E Carson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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O'Dell RS, Higgins-Chen A, Gupta D, Chen MK, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Lu Y, Ni G, Chupak A, Zhao W, Salardini E, Nabulsi NB, Huang Y, Arnsten AFT, Carson RE, van Dyck CH, Mecca AP. Principal component analysis of synaptic density measured with [ 11C]UCB-J PET in early Alzheimer's disease. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 39:103457. [PMID: 37422964 PMCID: PMC10338149 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Synaptic loss is considered an early pathological event and major structural correlate of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We used principal component analysis (PCA) to identify regional patterns of covariance in synaptic density using [11C]UCB-J PET and assessed the association between principal components (PC) subject scores with cognitive performance. METHODS [11C]UCB-J binding was measured in 45 amyloid + participants with AD and 19 amyloid- cognitively normal participants aged 55-85. A validated neuropsychological battery assessed performance across five cognitive domains. PCA was applied to the pooled sample using distribution volume ratios (DVR) standardized (z-scored) by region from 42 bilateral regions of interest (ROI). RESULTS Parallel analysis determined three significant PCs explaining 70.2% of the total variance. PC1 was characterized by positive loadings with similar contributions across the majority of ROIs. PC2 was characterized by positive and negative loadings with strongest contributions from subcortical and parietooccipital cortical regions, respectively, while PC3 was characterized by positive and negative loadings with strongest contributions from rostral and caudal cortical regions, respectively. Within the AD group, PC1 subject scores were positively correlated with performance across all cognitive domains (Pearson r = 0.24-0.40, P = 0.06-0.006), PC2 subject scores were inversely correlated with age (Pearson r = -0.45, P = 0.002) and PC3 subject scores were significantly correlated with CDR-sb (Pearson r = 0.46, P = 0.04). No significant correlations were observed between cognitive performance and PC subject scores in CN participants. CONCLUSIONS This data-driven approach defined specific spatial patterns of synaptic density correlated with unique participant characteristics within the AD group. Our findings reinforce synaptic density as a robust biomarker of disease presence and severity in the early stages of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S O'Dell
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, One Church Street, 8(th) Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Albert Higgins-Chen
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, One Church Street, 8(th) Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Pain Research, Informatics, Multi-morbidities, and Education Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dhruva Gupta
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, One Church Street, 8(th) Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Ming-Kai Chen
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208048, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Mika Naganawa
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208048, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Takuya Toyonaga
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208048, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Yihuan Lu
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208048, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Gessica Ni
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, One Church Street, 8(th) Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Anna Chupak
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, One Church Street, 8(th) Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Wenzhen Zhao
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, One Church Street, 8(th) Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Elaheh Salardini
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, One Church Street, 8(th) Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Nabeel B Nabulsi
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208048, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Yiyun Huang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208048, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208001, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Richard E Carson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208048, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Christopher H van Dyck
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, One Church Street, 8(th) Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208001, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208018, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Adam P Mecca
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, One Church Street, 8(th) Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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Yoon JH, Zhang Z, Mormino E, Davidzon G, Minzenberg MJ, Ballon J, Kalinowski A, Hardy K, Naganawa M, Carson RE, Khalighi M, Park JH, Levinson DF, Chin FT. Reductions in synaptic marker SV2A in early-course Schizophrenia. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 161:213-217. [PMID: 36934603 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
Excess synaptic pruning during neurodevelopment has emerged as one of the leading hypotheses on the causal mechanism for schizophrenia. It proposes that excess synaptic elimination occurs during development before the formal onset of illness. Accordingly, synaptic deficits may be observable at all stages of illnesses, including in the early phases. The availability of [11C]UCB-J, the first-in-human in vivo synaptic marker, represents an opportunity for testing this hypothesis with a relatively high level of precision. The first two published [11C]UCB-J schizophrenia studies have documented significant, widespread reductions in binding in chronic patients. The present study tested the hypothesis that reductions are present in early-course patients. 18 subjects completed [11C]UCB-J PET scans, (nine with schizophrenia, average duration of illness of 3.36 years, and nine demographically-matched healthy individuals). We compared binding levels, quantified as non-displaceable specific binding (BPND), in a set of a priori-specified brain regions of interest (ROIs). Eight ROIs (left and right hippocampus, right superior temporal and Heschl's gyrus, left and right putamen, and right caudal and rostral middle frontal gyrus) showed large reductions meeting Bonferroni corrected significant levels, p < 0.0036. Exploratory, atlas-wide analyses confirmed widespread reductions in schizophrenia. We also observed significant positive correlations between binding levels and cognitive performance and a negative correlation with the severity of delusions. These results largely replicate findings from chronic patients, indicating that extensive [11C]UCB-J binding deficits are reliable and reproducible. Moreover, these results add to the growing evidence that excess synaptic pruning is a major disease mechanism for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong H Yoon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine and VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
| | - Zhener Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine and VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Mormino
- Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Guido Davidzon
- Department of Radiology - Nuclear Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Michael J Minzenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Jacob Ballon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Agnieszka Kalinowski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Kate Hardy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Mika Naganawa
- Department of Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Mehdi Khalighi
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Jun Hyung Park
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Douglas F Levinson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Frederick T Chin
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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9
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NiftyPAD - Novel Python Package for Quantitative Analysis of Dynamic PET Data. Neuroinformatics 2023; 21:457-468. [PMID: 36622500 PMCID: PMC10085912 DOI: 10.1007/s12021-022-09616-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Current PET datasets are becoming larger, thereby increasing the demand for fast and reproducible processing pipelines. This paper presents a freely available, open source, Python-based software package called NiftyPAD, for versatile analyses of static, full or dual-time window dynamic brain PET data. The key novelties of NiftyPAD are the analyses of dual-time window scans with reference input processing, pharmacokinetic modelling with shortened PET acquisitions through the incorporation of arterial spin labelling (ASL)-derived relative perfusion measures, as well as optional PET data-based motion correction. Results obtained with NiftyPAD were compared with the well-established software packages PPET and QModeling for a range of kinetic models. Clinical data from eight subjects scanned with four different amyloid tracers were used to validate the computational performance. NiftyPAD achieved [Formula: see text] correlation with PPET, with absolute difference [Formula: see text] for linearised Logan and MRTM2 methods, and [Formula: see text] correlation with QModeling, with absolute difference [Formula: see text] for basis function based SRTM and SRTM2 models. For the recently published SRTM ASL method, which is unavailable in existing software packages, high correlations with negligible bias were observed with the full scan SRTM in terms of non-displaceable binding potential ([Formula: see text]), indicating reliable model implementation in NiftyPAD. Together, these findings illustrate that NiftyPAD is versatile, flexible, and produces comparable results with established software packages for quantification of dynamic PET data. It is freely available ( https://github.com/AMYPAD/NiftyPAD ), and allows for multi-platform usage. The modular setup makes adding new functionalities easy, and the package is lightweight with minimal dependencies, making it easy to use and integrate into existing processing pipelines.
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10
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Michiels L, Thijs L, Mertens N, Coremans M, Vandenbulcke M, Verheyden G, Koole M, Van Laere K, Lemmens R. Longitudinal Synaptic Density PET with 11 C-UCB-J 6 Months After Ischemic Stroke. Ann Neurol 2022; 93:911-921. [PMID: 36585914 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to explore longitudinal changes in synaptic density after ischemic stroke in vivo with synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS We recruited patients with an ischemic stroke to undergo 11 C-UCB-J PET/MR within the first month and 6 months after the stroke. We investigated longitudinal changes of partial volume corrected 11 C-UCB-J standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR; relative to centrum semiovale) within the ischemic lesion, peri-ischemic area and unaffected ipsilesional and contralesional grey matter. We also explored crossed cerebellar diaschisis at 6 months. Additionally, we defined brain regions potentially influencing upper limb motor recovery after stroke and studied 11 C-UCB-J SUVR evolution in comparison to baseline. RESULTS In 13 patients (age = 67 ± 15 years) we observed decreasing 11 C-UCB-J SUVR in the ischemic lesion (ΔSUVR = -1.0, p = 0.001) and peri-ischemic area (ΔSUVR = -0.31, p = 0.02) at 6 months after stroke compared to baseline. Crossed cerebellar diaschisis as measured with 11 C-UCB-J SUVR was present in 11 of 13 (85%) patients at 6 months. The 11 C-UCB-J SUVR did not augment in ipsilesional or contralesional brain regions associated with motor recovery. On the contrary, there was an overall trend of declining 11 C-UCB-J SUVR in these brain regions, reaching statistical significance only in the nonlesioned part of the ipsilesional supplementary motor area (ΔSUVR = -0.83, p = 0.046). INTERPRETATION At 6 months after stroke, synaptic density further declined in the ischemic lesion and peri-ischemic area compared to baseline. Brain regions previously demonstrated to be associated with motor recovery after stroke did not show increases in synaptic density. ANN NEUROL 2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Michiels
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Liselot Thijs
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Mertens
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marjan Coremans
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Vandenbulcke
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Centre, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Geert Verheyden
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michel Koole
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Van Laere
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium.,Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robin Lemmens
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
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11
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Mecca AP, O'Dell RS, Sharp ES, Banks ER, Bartlett HH, Zhao W, Lipior S, Diepenbrock NG, Chen M, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Nabulsi NB, Vander Wyk BC, Arnsten AFT, Huang Y, Carson RE, van Dyck CH. Synaptic density and cognitive performance in Alzheimer's disease: A PET imaging study with [ 11 C]UCB-J. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 18:2527-2536. [PMID: 35174954 PMCID: PMC9381645 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION For 30 years synapse loss has been referred to as the major pathological correlate of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, this statement is based on remarkably few patients studied by autopsy or biopsy. With the recent advent of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, we have begun to evaluate the consequences of synaptic alterations in vivo. METHODS We examined the relationship between synaptic density measured by [11 C]UCB-J PET and neuropsychological test performance in 45 participants with early AD. RESULTS Global synaptic density showed a significant positive association with global cognition and performance on five individual cognitive domains in participants with early AD. Synaptic density was a stronger predictor of cognitive performance than gray matter volume. CONCLUSION These results confirm neuropathologic studies demonstrating a significant association between synaptic density and cognitive performance, and suggest that this correlation extends to the early stages of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam P. Mecca
- Alzheimer's Disease Research UnitYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Ryan S. O'Dell
- Alzheimer's Disease Research UnitYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Emily S. Sharp
- Alzheimer's Disease Research UnitYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of NeurologyYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Emmie R. Banks
- Alzheimer's Disease Research UnitYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Hugh H. Bartlett
- Alzheimer's Disease Research UnitYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Wenzhen Zhao
- Alzheimer's Disease Research UnitYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Sylwia Lipior
- Alzheimer's Disease Research UnitYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Nina G. Diepenbrock
- Alzheimer's Disease Research UnitYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Ming‐Kai Chen
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Mika Naganawa
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Takuya Toyonaga
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Nabeel B. Nabulsi
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | | | - Amy F. T. Arnsten
- Alzheimer's Disease Research UnitYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of NeuroscienceYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Yiyun Huang
- Program on AgingYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Richard E. Carson
- Program on AgingYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Christopher H. van Dyck
- Alzheimer's Disease Research UnitYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of NeurologyYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of NeuroscienceYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
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12
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Vanderlinden G, Ceccarini J, Vande Casteele T, Michiels L, Lemmens R, Triau E, Serdons K, Tournoy J, Koole M, Vandenbulcke M, Van Laere K. Spatial decrease of synaptic density in amnestic mild cognitive impairment follows the tau build-up pattern. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4244-4251. [PMID: 35794185 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01672-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Next to amyloid and tau, synaptic loss is a key pathological hallmark in Alzheimer's disease, closely related to cognitive dysfunction and neurodegeneration. Tau is thought to cause synaptic loss, but this has not been experimentally verified in vivo. In a 2-year follow-up study, dual tracer PET-MR was performed in 12 amnestic MCI patients using 18F-MK-6240 for tau and 11C-UCB-J for SV2A as a proxy for synaptic density. Tau already accumulated in the neocortex at baseline with progression in Braak V/VI at follow-up. While synaptic loss was limited to limbic regions at baseline, it followed the specific tau pattern to stage IV/V regions two years later, indicating that tau spread might drive synaptic vulnerability. Moreover, synaptic density changes correlated to changes in cognitive function. This study shows for the first time in vivo that synaptic loss regionally follows tau accumulation after two years, providing a disease-modifying window of opportunity for (combined) tau-targeting therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greet Vanderlinden
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Imaging Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Jenny Ceccarini
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Imaging Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thomas Vande Casteele
- Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Michiels
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robin Lemmens
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eric Triau
- Private Practice Neurology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kim Serdons
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jos Tournoy
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, University Hospitals UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Gerontology and Geriatrics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michel Koole
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Imaging Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Vandenbulcke
- Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Old-Age Psychiatry, University Hospitals UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Van Laere
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Imaging Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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13
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Healthy brain aging assessed with [ 18F]FDG and [ 11C]UCB-J PET. Nucl Med Biol 2022; 112-113:52-58. [PMID: 35820300 DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2022.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The average human lifespan has increased dramatically over the past century. However, molecular and physiological alterations of the healthy brain during aging remain incompletely understood. Generalized synaptic restructuring may contribute to healthy aging and the reduced metabolism observed in the aged brain. The aim of this study was to assess healthy brain aging using [18F]FDG as a measure of cerebral glucose consumption and [11C]UCB-J PET as an indicator of synaptic density. METHOD Using in vivo PET imaging and the novel synaptic-vesicle-glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) radioligand [11C]UCB-J alongside with the fluorodeoxyglucose radioligand [18F]FDG, we obtained SUVR-1 values for 14 pre-defined volume-of-interest brain regions defined on MRI T1 scans. Regional differences in relative [18F]FDG and [11C]UCB-J uptake were investigated using a voxel-wise approach. Finally, correlations between [11C]UCB-J, [18F]FDG PET, and age were examined. RESULTS We found widespread cortical reduction of synaptic density in a cohort of older HC subjects (N = 15) compared with young HC subjects (N = 11). However, no reduction persisted after partial volume correction and corrections for multiple comparison. Our study confirms previously reported synaptic stability during aging. Regional differences in relative [18F]FDG and [11C]UCB-J uptake were observed with up to 20 % higher [11C]UCB-J uptake in the amygdala and temporal lobe and up to 34 % higher glucose metabolism in thalamus, striatum, occipital, parietal and frontal cortex. CONCLUSION In vivo PET using [11C]UCB-J does not support declining synaptic density levels during aging. Thus, loss of synaptic density may be unrelated to aging and does not seem to be a sufficient explanation for the recognized reduction in brain metabolism during aging. Our study also demonstrates that the relationship between glucose consumption and synaptic density is not uniform throughout the human brain with implications for our understanding of neuroenergetics.
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14
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Carson RE, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Koohsari S, Yang Y, Chen MK, Matuskey D, Finnema SJ. Imaging of Synaptic Density in Neurodegenerative Disorders. J Nucl Med 2022; 63:60S-67S. [PMID: 35649655 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.121.263201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
PET technology has produced many radiopharmaceuticals that target specific brain proteins and other measures of brain function. Recently, a new approach has emerged to image synaptic density by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A), an integral glycoprotein in the membrane of synaptic vesicles and widely distributed throughout the brain. Multiple SV2A ligands have been developed and translated to human use. The most successful of these to date is 11C-UCB-J, because of its high uptake, moderate metabolism, and effective quantification with a 1-tissue-compartment model. Further, since SV2A is the target of the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam, human blocking studies have characterized specific binding and potential reference regions. Regional brain SV2A levels were shown to correlate with those of synaptophysin, another commonly used marker of synaptic density, providing the basis for SV2A PET imaging to have broad utility across neuropathologic diseases. In this review, we highlight the development of SV2A tracers and the evaluation of quantification methods, including compartment modeling and simple tissue ratios. Mouse and rat models of neurodegenerative diseases have been studied with small-animal PET, providing validation by comparison to direct tissue measures. Next, we review human PET imaging results in multiple neurodegenerative disorders. Studies on Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease have progressed most rapidly at multiple centers, with generally consistent results of patterns of SV2A or synaptic loss. In Alzheimer disease, the synaptic loss patterns differ from those of amyloid, tau, and 18F-FDG, although intertracer and interregional correlations have been found. Smaller studies have been reported in other disorders, including Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Huntington disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration. In conclusion, PET imaging of SV2A has rapidly developed, and qualified radioligands are available. PET studies on humans indicate that SV2A loss might be specific to disease-associated brain regions and consistent with synaptic density loss. The recent availability of new 18F tracers, 18F-SynVesT-1 and 18F-SynVesT-2, will substantially broaden the application of SV2A PET. Future studies are needed in larger patient cohorts to establish the clinical value of SV2A PET and its potential for diagnosis and progression monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases, as well as efficacy assessment of disease-modifying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard E Carson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut;
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Mika Naganawa
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Takuya Toyonaga
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Sheida Koohsari
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Yanghong Yang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ming-Kai Chen
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - David Matuskey
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and
| | - Sjoerd J Finnema
- Neuroscience Discovery Research, Translational Imaging, AbbVie, North Chicago, Illinois
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15
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Rossi R, Arjmand S, Bærentzen SL, Gjedde A, Landau AM. Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A: Features and Functions. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:864514. [PMID: 35573314 PMCID: PMC9096842 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.864514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the field of neuroimaging dramatically moved forward by means of the expeditious development of specific radioligands of novel targets. Among these targets, the synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) is a transmembrane protein of synaptic vesicles, present in all synaptic terminals, irrespective of neurotransmitter content. It is involved in key functions of neurons, focused on the regulation of neurotransmitter release. The ubiquitous expression in gray matter regions of the brain is the basis of its candidacy as a marker of synaptic density. Following the development of molecules derived from the structure of the anti-epileptic drug levetiracetam, which selectively binds to SV2A, several radiolabeled markers have been synthetized to allow the study of SV2A distribution with positron emission tomography (PET). These radioligands permit the evaluation of in vivo changes of SV2A distribution held to be a potential measure of synaptic density in physiological and pathological conditions. The use of SV2A as a biomarker of synaptic density raises important questions. Despite numerous studies over the last decades, the biological function and the expressional properties of SV2A remain poorly understood. Some functions of SV2A were claimed, but have not been fully elucidated. While the expression of SV2A is ubiquitous, stronger associations between SV2A and Υ amino butyric acid (GABA)-ergic rather than glutamatergic synapses were observed in some brain structures. A further issue is the unclear interaction between SV2A and its tracers, which reflects a need to clarify what really is detected with neuroimaging tools. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of the SV2A protein and we discuss uncertain aspects of SV2A biology and physiology. As SV2A expression is ubiquitous, but likely more strongly related to a certain type of neurotransmission in particular circumstances, a more extensive knowledge of the protein would greatly facilitate the analysis and interpretation of neuroimaging results by allowing the evaluation not only of an increase or decrease of the protein level, but also of the type of neurotransmission involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachele Rossi
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Shokouh Arjmand
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Simone Larsen Bærentzen
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Albert Gjedde
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anne M Landau
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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16
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Michiels L, Mertens N, Thijs L, Radwan A, Sunaert S, Vandenbulcke M, Verheyden G, Koole M, Van Laere K, Lemmens R. Changes in synaptic density in the subacute phase after ischemic stroke: A 11C-UCB-J PET/MR study. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2022; 42:303-314. [PMID: 34550834 PMCID: PMC9122519 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211047759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Functional alterations after ischemic stroke have been described with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and perfusion Positron Emission Tomography (PET), but no data on in vivo synaptic changes exist. Recently, imaging of synaptic density became available by targeting synaptic vesicle protein 2 A, a protein ubiquitously expressed in all presynaptic nerve terminals. We hypothesized that in subacute ischemic stroke loss of synaptic density can be evaluated with 11C-UCB-J PET in the ischemic tissue and that alterations in synaptic density can be present in brain regions beyond the ischemic core. We recruited ischemic stroke patients to undergo 11C-UCB-J PET/MR imaging 21 ± 8 days after stroke onset to investigate regional 11C-UCB-J SUVR (standardized uptake value ratio). There was a decrease (but residual signal) of 11C-UCB-J SUVR within the lesion of 16 stroke patients compared to 40 healthy controls (ratiolesion/controls = 0.67 ± 0.28, p = 0.00023). Moreover, 11C-UCB-J SUVR was lower in the non-lesioned tissue of the affected hemisphere compared to the unaffected hemisphere (ΔSUVR = -0.17, p = 0.0035). The contralesional cerebellar hemisphere showed a lower 11C-UCB-J SUVR compared to the ipsilesional cerebellar hemisphere (ΔSUVR = -0.14, p = 0.0048). In 8 out of 16 patients, the asymmetry index suggested crossed cerebellar diaschisis. Future research is required to longitudinally study these changes in synaptic density and their association with outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Michiels
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Mertens
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 26657KU Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Liselot Thijs
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, 26657KU Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ahmed Radwan
- Translational MRI, 26657KU Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- Translational MRI, 26657KU Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Vandenbulcke
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Geert Verheyden
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, 26657KU Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michel Koole
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 26657KU Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Van Laere
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 26657KU Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robin Lemmens
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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17
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Tuncel H, Boellaard R, Coomans EM, Hollander-Meeuwsen MD, de Vries EFJ, Glaudemans AWJM, Feltes PK, García DV, Verfaillie SCJ, Wolters EE, Sweeney SP, Ryan JM, Ivarsson M, Lynch BA, Schober P, Scheltens P, Schuit RC, Windhorst AD, De Deyn PP, van Berckel BNM, Golla SSV. Validation and test–retest repeatability performance of parametric methods for [11C]UCB-J PET. EJNMMI Res 2022; 12:3. [PMID: 35072802 PMCID: PMC8786991 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-021-00874-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
[11C]UCB-J is a PET radioligand that binds to the presynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A. Therefore, [11C]UCB-J PET may serve as an in vivo marker of synaptic integrity. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the quantitative accuracy and the 28-day test–retest repeatability (TRT) of various parametric quantitative methods for dynamic [11C]UCB-J studies in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and healthy controls (HC). Eight HCs and seven AD patients underwent two 60-min dynamic [11C]UCB-J PET scans with arterial sampling over a 28-day interval. Several plasma-input based and reference-region based parametric methods were used to generate parametric images using metabolite corrected plasma activity as input function or white matter semi-ovale as reference region. Different parametric outcomes were compared regionally with corresponding non-linear regression (NLR) estimates. Furthermore, the 28-day TRT was assessed for all parametric methods. Spectral analysis (SA) and Logan graphical analysis showed high correlations with NLR estimates. Receptor parametric mapping (RPM) and simplified reference tissue model 2 (SRTM2) BPND, and reference Logan (RLogan) distribution volume ratio (DVR) regional estimates correlated well with plasma-input derived DVR and SRTM BPND. Among the multilinear reference tissue model (MRTM) methods, MRTM1 had the best correspondence with DVR and SRTM BPND. Among the parametric methods evaluated, spectral analysis (SA) and SRTM2 were the best plasma-input and reference tissue methods, respectively, to obtain quantitatively accurate and repeatable parametric images for dynamic [11C]UCB-J PET.
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18
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Brumberg J, Varrone A. New PET radiopharmaceuticals for imaging CNS diseases. Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-822960-6.00002-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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19
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van Aalst J, Ceccarini J, Sunaert S, Dupont P, Koole M, Van Laere K. In vivo synaptic density relates to glucose metabolism at rest in healthy subjects, but is strongly modulated by regional differences. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2021; 41:1978-1987. [PMID: 33444094 PMCID: PMC8327121 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x20981502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical and postmortem studies have suggested that regional synaptic density and glucose consumption (CMRGlc) are strongly related. However, the relation between synaptic density and cerebral glucose metabolism in the human brain has not directly been assessed in vivo. Using [11C]UCB-J binding to synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 A (SV2A) as indicator for synaptic density and [18F]FDG for measuring cerebral glucose consumption, we studied twenty healthy female subjects (age 29.6 ± 9.9 yrs) who underwent a single-day dual-tracer protocol (GE Signa PET-MR). Global measures of absolute and relative CMRGlc and specific binding of [11C]UCB-J were indeed highly significantly correlated (r > 0.47, p < 0.001). However, regional differences in relative [18F]FDG and [11C]UCB-J uptake were observed, with up to 19% higher [11C]UCB-J uptake in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and up to 17% higher glucose metabolism in frontal and motor-related areas and thalamus. This pattern has a considerable overlap with the brain regions showing different levels of aerobic glycolysis. Regionally varying energy demands of inhibitory and excitatory synapses at rest may also contribute to this difference. Being unaffected by astroglial and/or microglial energy demands, changes in synaptic density in the MTL may therefore be more sensitive to early detection of pathological conditions compared to changes in glucose metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- June van Aalst
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jenny Ceccarini
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- Translational MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Leuven, Belgium.,Radiology, UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrick Dupont
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michel Koole
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Van Laere
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Nuclear Medicine, UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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20
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Tuncel H, Boellaard R, Coomans EM, de Vries EFJ, Glaudemans AWJM, Feltes PK, García DV, Verfaillie SCJ, Wolters EE, Sweeney SP, Ryan JM, Ivarsson M, Lynch BA, Schober P, Scheltens P, Schuit RC, Windhorst AD, De Deyn PP, van Berckel BNM, Golla SSV. Kinetics and 28-day test-retest repeatability and reproducibility of [ 11C]UCB-J PET brain imaging. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2021; 41:1338-1350. [PMID: 34013797 PMCID: PMC8138337 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x20964248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
[11C]UCB-J is a novel radioligand that binds to synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A). The main objective of this study was to determine the 28-day test-retest repeatability (TRT) of quantitative [11C]UCB-J brain positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and healthy controls (HCs). Nine HCs and eight AD patients underwent two 60 min dynamic [11C]UCB-J PET scans with arterial sampling with an interval of 28 days. The optimal tracer kinetic model was assessed using the Akaike criteria (AIC). Micro-/macro-parameters such as tracer delivery (K1) and volume of distribution (VT) were estimated using the optimal model. Data were also analysed for simplified reference tissue model (SRTM) with centrum semi-ovale (white matter) as reference region. Based on AIC, both 1T2k_VB and 2T4k_VB described the [11C]UCB-J kinetics equally well. Analysis showed that whole-brain grey matter TRT for VT, DVR and SRTM BPND were -2.2% ± 8.5, 0.4% ± 12.0 and -8.0% ± 10.2, averaged over all subjects. [11C]UCB-J kinetics can be well described by a 1T2k_VB model, and a 60 min scan duration was sufficient to obtain reliable estimates for both plasma input and reference tissue models. TRT for VT, DVR and BPND was <15% (1SD) averaged over all subjects and indicates adequate quantitative repeatability of [11C]UCB-J PET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayel Tuncel
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald Boellaard
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emma M Coomans
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erik FJ de Vries
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andor WJM Glaudemans
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Paula Kopschina Feltes
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - David V García
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sander CJ Verfaillie
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emma E Wolters
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | - Patrick Schober
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robert C Schuit
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Albert D Windhorst
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Peter P De Deyn
- Department of Neurology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Alzheimer Research Center, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bart NM van Berckel
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sandeep SV Golla
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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21
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Andersen KB, Hansen AK, Damholdt MF, Horsager J, Skjaerbaek C, Gottrup H, Klit H, Schacht AC, Danielsen EH, Brooks DJ, Borghammer P. Reduced Synaptic Density in Patients with Lewy Body Dementia: An [ 11 C]UCB-J PET Imaging Study. Mov Disord 2021; 36:2057-2065. [PMID: 33899255 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) often develop dementia, but the underlying substrate is incompletely understood. Generalized synaptic degeneration may contribute to dysfunction and cognitive decline in Lewy body dementias, but in vivo evidence is lacking. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess the density of synapses in non-demented PD (nPD) subjects (N = 21), patients with PD-dementia or Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) (N = 13), and age-matched healthy controls (N = 15). METHOD Using in vivo PET imaging and the novel synaptic-vesicle-glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) radioligand [11C]UCB-J, SUVR-1 values were obtained for 12 pre-defined regions. Volumes-of-interest were defined on MRI T1 scans. Voxel-level between-group comparisons of [11C]UCB-J SUVR-1 were performed. All subjects underwent neuropsychological assessment. Correlations between [11C]UCB- J PET and domain-specific cognitive functioning were examined. RESULTS nPD patients only demonstrated significantly reduced SUVR-1 values in the substantia nigra (SN) compared to HC. DLB/PDD patients demonstrated reduced SUVR-1 values in SN and all cortical VOIs except for the hippocampus and amygdala. The voxel-based analysis supported the VOI results. Significant correlation was seen between middle frontal gyrus [11C]UCB-J SUVR-1 and performance on tests of executive function. CONCLUSION Widespread cortical reduction of synaptic density was documented in a cohort of DLB/PDD subjects using in vivo [11C]UCB-J PET. Our study confirms previously reported synaptic loss in SN of nPD patients. [11C]UCB-J binding in selected cortical VOIs of the DLB/PDD patients correlated with their levels of cognitive function across relevant neuropsychological domains. These findings suggest that the loss of synaptic density contributes to cognitive impairment in nPD and DLB/PDD. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine B Andersen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Allan K Hansen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Malene F Damholdt
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jacob Horsager
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Casper Skjaerbaek
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hanne Gottrup
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Henriette Klit
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Erik H Danielsen
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - David J Brooks
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Per Borghammer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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22
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Cawthorne C, Maguire P, Mercier J, Sciberras D, Serdons K, Bormans G, de Hoon J, Van Laere K, Koole M. Human biodistribution and dosimetry of [ 11C]-UCB-J, a PET radiotracer for imaging synaptic density. EJNMMI Phys 2021; 8:37. [PMID: 33891195 PMCID: PMC8065069 DOI: 10.1186/s40658-021-00384-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE [11C]-UCB-J is an emerging tool for the noninvasive measurement of synaptic vesicle density in vivo. Here, we report human biodistribution and dosimetry estimates derived from sequential whole-body PET using two versions of the OLINDA dosimetry program. METHODS Sequential whole-body PET scans were performed in 3 healthy subjects for 2 h after injection of 254 ± 77 MBq [11C]-UCB-J. Volumes of interest were drawn over relevant source organs to generate time-activity curves and calculate time-integrated activity coefficients, with effective dose coefficients calculated using OLINDA 2.1 and compared to values derived from OLINDA 1.1 and those recently reported in the literature. RESULTS [11C]-UCB-J administration was safe and showed mixed renal and hepatobiliary clearance, with largest organ absorbed dose coefficients for the urinary bladder wall and small intestine (21.7 and 23.5 μGy/MBq, respectively). The average (±SD) effective dose coefficient was 5.4 ± 0.7 and 5.1 ± 0.8 μSv/MBq for OLINDA versions 1.1 and 2.1 respectively. Doses were lower than previously reported in the literature using either software version. CONCLUSIONS A single IV administration of 370 MBq [11C]-UCB-J corresponds to an effective dose of less than 2.0 mSv, enabling multiple PET examinations to be carried out in the same subject. TRIAL REGISTRATION EudraCT number: 2016-001190-32. Registered 16 March 2016, no URL available for phase 1 trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Cawthorne
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Kim Serdons
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Guy Bormans
- Laboratory for Radiopharmaceutical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan de Hoon
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Van Laere
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michel Koole
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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23
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Mecca AP, Chen MK, O'Dell RS, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Godek TA, Harris JE, Bartlett HH, Zhao W, Nabulsi NB, Wyk BCV, Varma P, Arnsten AFT, Huang Y, Carson RE, van Dyck CH. In vivo measurement of widespread synaptic loss in Alzheimer's disease with SV2A PET. Alzheimers Dement 2020; 16:974-982. [PMID: 32400950 PMCID: PMC7383876 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Synaptic loss is a robust and consistent pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the major structural correlate of cognitive impairment. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) has emerged as a promising biomarker of synaptic density. Methods We measured SV2A binding in 34 participants with early AD and 19 cognitively normal (CN) participants using [11C]UCB‐J PET and a cerebellar reference region for calculation of the distribution volume ratio. Results We observed widespread reductions of SV2A binding in medial temporal and neocortical brain regions in early AD compared to CN participants. These reductions were largely maintained after correction for volume loss and were more extensive than decreases in gray matter volume. Conclusion We were able to measure widespread synaptic loss due to AD using [11C]UCB‐J PET. Future studies will continue to evaluate the utility of SV2A PET for tracking AD progression and for monitoring potential therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam P Mecca
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ming-Kai Chen
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ryan S O'Dell
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Mika Naganawa
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Takuya Toyonaga
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Tyler A Godek
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Joanna E Harris
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Hugh H Bartlett
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Wenzhen Zhao
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Nabeel B Nabulsi
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Brent C Vander Wyk
- Program on Aging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Pradeep Varma
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Yiyun Huang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Richard E Carson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Christopher H van Dyck
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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24
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Cai Z, Li S, Zhang W, Pracitto R, Wu X, Baum E, Finnema SJ, Holden D, Toyonaga T, Lin SF, Lindemann M, Shirali A, Labaree DC, Ropchan J, Nabulsi N, Carson RE, Huang Y. Synthesis and Preclinical Evaluation of an 18F-Labeled Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A PET Imaging Probe: [ 18F]SynVesT-2. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:592-603. [PMID: 31961649 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) is a 12-pass transmembrane glycoprotein ubiquitously expressed in presynaptic vesicles. In vivo imaging of SV2A using PET has potential applications in the diagnosis and prognosis of a variety of neuropsychiatric diseases, e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, autism, epilepsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, etc. Herein, we report the synthesis and evaluation of a new 18F-labeled SV2A PET imaging probe, [18F]SynVesT-2, which possesses fast in vivo binding kinetics and high specific binding signals in non-human primate brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengxin Cai
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Songye Li
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Wenjie Zhang
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Richard Pracitto
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Xiaoai Wu
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Evan Baum
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Sjoerd J. Finnema
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Daniel Holden
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Takuya Toyonaga
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Shu-fei Lin
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Marcel Lindemann
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Anupama Shirali
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - David C. Labaree
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Jim Ropchan
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Nabeel Nabulsi
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Richard E. Carson
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Yiyun Huang
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
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