RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Molecular Imaging Insights into Neurodegeneration: Focus on α-Synuclein Radiotracers
JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine
JO J Nucl Med
FD Society of Nuclear Medicine
SP 1397
OP 1400
DO 10.2967/jnumed.113.136515
VO 55
IS 9
A1 Maliha Shah
A1 John Seibyl
A1 Anna Cartier
A1 Ram Bhatt
A1 Ana M. Catafau
YR 2014
UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/55/9/1397.abstract
AB Neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the presence of α-synuclein—a hallmark of pathologic inclusions termed Lewy bodies—include Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple-system atrophy. Although motor symptoms are related to the altered presynaptic dopaminergic function in these diseases, the appearance of α-synuclein inclusions precedes the involvement of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway. Hence, the most accurate and earliest definition of premotor Parkinson’s disease ought to rely on imaging α-synuclein rather than dopaminergic changes. Moreover, dopaminergic imaging has been controversial in monitoring the effects of investigational disease-modifying drugs. For these clinical trials, intense interest in longitudinally imaging α-synuclein as the primary pathologic process has led to efforts toward developing a suitable radiotracer for this key protein. An overview of the present α-synuclein radiotracer development scenario is presented here.