PET imaging of synaptic density: A new tool for investigation of neuropsychiatric diseases

Neurosci Lett. 2019 Jan 19:691:44-50. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.07.038. Epub 2018 Jul 31.

Abstract

Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) is expressed ubiquitously in neurons of the central nervous system, and is the binding target of the anti-epileptic drug levetiracetam. Because of the availability of positron emission tomography (PET) ligands targeting SV2A, there is increasing enthusiasm on the use of SV2A PET to study a variety of neuropsychiatric diseases. This review discusses the recent development of radioligands for PET imaging of SV2A and their potential use in the research and diagnosis of CNS diseases.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Autism spectrum disorder; Depression; Epilepsy; Huntington’s disease; Multiple sclerosis; PET; Parkinson’s disease; SV2A; Schizophrenia; Stroke; Synaptic density.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / pathology
  • Carbon Radioisotopes
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / analysis
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Mental Disorders / diagnostic imaging*
  • Mental Disorders / metabolism
  • Mental Disorders / pathology
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / analysis
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography / methods*
  • Synapses / metabolism
  • Synapses / pathology*

Substances

  • Carbon Radioisotopes
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • SV2A protein, human