2024
11C-UCB-J PET imaging is consistent with lower synaptic density in autistic adults
Matuskey D, Yang Y, Naganawa M, Koohsari S, Toyonaga T, Gravel P, Pittman B, Torres K, Pisani L, Finn C, Cramer-Benjamin S, Herman N, Rosenthal L, Franke C, Walicki B, Esterlis I, Skosnik P, Radhakrishnan R, Wolf J, Nabulsi N, Ropchan J, Huang Y, Carson R, Naples A, McPartland J. 11C-UCB-J PET imaging is consistent with lower synaptic density in autistic adults. Molecular Psychiatry 2024, 1-7. PMID: 39367053, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02776-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPositron emission tomographySynaptic densityAutistic adultsBrain regionsAutistic featuresClinical phenotype of autismNon-autistic participantsPhenotype of autismNon-autistic individualsRelationship to clinical characteristicsSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AAssociated with clinical measuresPost-mortem studiesPositron emission tomography scanPrefrontal cortexClinician ratingsAutism groupNeural basisBrain areasNeural processesBetween-group differencesVolumetric differencesBinding potentialDensity of synapsesAutismValidation of a Simplified Tissue-to-Reference Ratio Measurement Using SUVR to Assess Synaptic Density Alterations in Alzheimer Disease with [11C]UCB-J PET
Young J, O’Dell R, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Chen M, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Cooper E, Miller A, Lam J, Bates K, Ruan A, Nelsen K, Salardini E, Carson R, van Dyck C, Mecca A. Validation of a Simplified Tissue-to-Reference Ratio Measurement Using SUVR to Assess Synaptic Density Alterations in Alzheimer Disease with [11C]UCB-J PET. Journal Of Nuclear Medicine 2024, 65: jnumed.124.267419. PMID: 39299782, PMCID: PMC11533916, DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.124.267419.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDistribution volume ratioSUV ratioSynaptic densityEffect sizeAlzheimer's diseaseLongitudinal study of Alzheimer's diseaseMethods:</b> ParticipantsLongitudinal studyMeasure synaptic densityAD participantsStudy of Alzheimer's diseaseNormal cognitionReference regionOlder adultsMulticenterDensity alterationsSynaptic density patterns in early Alzheimer’s disease assessed by independent component analysis
Fang X, Raval N, O’Dell R, Naganawa M, Mecca A, Chen M, van Dyck C, Carson R. Synaptic density patterns in early Alzheimer’s disease assessed by independent component analysis. Brain Communications 2024, 6: fcae107. PMID: 38601916, PMCID: PMC11004947, DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae107.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMedial temporal brain regionsAlzheimer's diseaseTemporal brain regionsCognitive deficitsBrain regionsCognitive impairmentPostmortem studiesBinds to SV2ASynaptic densityReduction of synaptic densityIndependent component analysisSynaptic lossAlzheimerDeficitsImpairmentBrainNeocortexComponent analysisPrimary pathologySV2ASynaptic loss and its association with symptom severity in Parkinson’s disease
Holmes S, Honhar P, Tinaz S, Naganawa M, Hilmer A, Gallezot J, Dias M, Yang Y, Toyonaga T, Esterlis I, Mecca A, Van Dyck C, Henry S, Ropchan J, Nabulsi N, Louis E, Comley R, Finnema S, Carson R, Matuskey D. Synaptic loss and its association with symptom severity in Parkinson’s disease. Npj Parkinson's Disease 2024, 10: 42. PMID: 38402233, PMCID: PMC10894197, DOI: 10.1038/s41531-024-00655-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSynaptic density lossPositron emission tomographyBinds to synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AAssociated with symptom severityParkinson's diseaseHigh-resolution positron emission tomographySynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ADuration of illnessPositron emission tomography scanBrain perfusionIllness durationSymptom severitySeverity of symptomsHC groupSubstantia nigraSynaptic densityLiving brainPD individualsClinical insightsDensity lossPD patientsEmission tomographyBrainSynaptic lossSynapse loss
2023
The regional pattern of age-related synaptic loss in the human brain differs from gray matter volume loss: in vivo PET measurement with [11C]UCB-J
Toyonaga T, Khattar N, Wu Y, Lu Y, Naganawa M, Gallezot J, Matuskey D, Mecca A, Pittman B, Dias M, Nabulsi N, Finnema S, Chen M, Arnsten A, Radhakrishnan R, Skosnik P, D’Souza D, Esterlis I, Huang Y, van Dyck C, Carson R. The regional pattern of age-related synaptic loss in the human brain differs from gray matter volume loss: in vivo PET measurement with [11C]UCB-J. European Journal Of Nuclear Medicine And Molecular Imaging 2023, 51: 1012-1022. PMID: 37955791, DOI: 10.1007/s00259-023-06487-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSynaptic densityAge-related decreaseMagnetic resonance imagingBlood flowAge-related synaptic lossGray matter volume lossSynaptic density lossPositron emission tomography (PET) ligandSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AVivo PET measurementsMedial occipital cortexGray matter volumeAge-related neurodegenerationGray matter regionsCognitive normal subjectsAge-related changesSynaptic lossNerve terminalsWide age rangeOccipital cortexTomography ligandNormal subjectsGM volumeAge-related functional lossesMatter volume
2022
Imaging of Synaptic Density in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Carson RE, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Koohsari S, Yang Y, Chen MK, Matuskey D, Finnema SJ. Imaging of Synaptic Density in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Journal Of Nuclear Medicine 2022, 63: 60s-67s. PMID: 35649655, DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.121.263201.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynaptic densityAlzheimer's diseaseNeurodegenerative disordersNeurodegenerative diseasesSynaptic vesicle protein 2APotential reference regionsSynaptic density lossLewy body dementiaProgressive supranuclear palsyDisease-modifying therapiesSpecific brain proteinsLarge patient cohortAntiepileptic drug levetiracetamPET imaging resultsMultiple neurodegenerative disordersSynaptic lossSupranuclear palsyCorticobasal degenerationNeuropathologic diseasePatient cohortRat modelClinical valueF-FDGParkinson's diseaseEfficacy assessmentSynaptic density and cognitive performance in Alzheimer's disease: A PET imaging study with [11C]UCB‐J
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 B, Arnsten AFT, Huang Y, Carson RE, van Dyck C. Synaptic density and cognitive performance in Alzheimer's disease: A PET imaging study with [11C]UCB‐J. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2022, 18: 2527-2536. PMID: 35174954, PMCID: PMC9381645, DOI: 10.1002/alz.12582.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynaptic densityEarly Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's diseaseCognitive performanceMajor pathological correlateGray matter volumePositron emission tomography (PET) imagingEmission Tomography ImagingPET imaging studiesIndividual cognitive domainsNeuropathologic studiesSignificant positive associationSynapse lossSynaptic alterationsPathological correlatesNeuropsychological test performanceMatter volumeCognitive impairmentSignificant associationImaging studiesDiseaseTomography imagingGlobal cognitionStrongest predictorPositive associationImaging the effect of ketamine on synaptic density (SV2A) in the living brain
Holmes SE, Finnema SJ, Naganawa M, DellaGioia N, Holden D, Fowles K, Davis M, Ropchan J, Emory P, Ye Y, Nabulsi N, Matuskey D, Angarita GA, Pietrzak RH, Duman RS, Sanacora G, Krystal JH, Carson RE, Esterlis I. Imaging the effect of ketamine on synaptic density (SV2A) in the living brain. Molecular Psychiatry 2022, 27: 2273-2281. PMID: 35165397, PMCID: PMC9133063, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01465-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsKetamine's therapeutic effectsMajor depressive disorderTherapeutic effectPositron emission tomographyPosttraumatic stress disorderHealthy controlsSynaptic connectionsSynaptic vesicle protein 2APost-synaptic mechanismsEffects of ketamineDiscovery of ketamineNon-human primatesAntidepressant effectsDepressive disorderSingle administrationSynaptic densityPsychiatric disordersDepression severityKetamineEmission tomographyTerminal densityLiving brainStress disorderRobust reductionDissociative symptoms
2021
Lower prefrontal cortical synaptic vesicle binding in cocaine use disorder: An exploratory 11C‐UCB‐J positron emission tomography study in humans
Angarita GA, Worhunsky PD, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Nabulsi NB, Li C, Esterlis I, Skosnik PD, Radhakrishnan R, Pittman B, Gueorguieva R, Potenza MN, Finnema SJ, Huang Y, Carson RE, Malison RT. Lower prefrontal cortical synaptic vesicle binding in cocaine use disorder: An exploratory 11C‐UCB‐J positron emission tomography study in humans. Addiction Biology 2021, 27: e13123. PMID: 34852401, PMCID: PMC8891080, DOI: 10.1111/adb.13123.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCocaine use disorderAnterior cingulate cortexRecent cocaine useSynaptic densityMedial orbitofrontal cortexPrefrontal cortexCocaine useOrbitofrontal cortexUse disordersVentromedial prefrontal cortexPositron emission tomography scanPositron emission tomography studyEmission tomography scanSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AHealthy control subjectsVolume of distributionEmission tomography studiesAcute cocaineControl subjectsTomography scanCocaine exposurePreclinical studiesHC subjectsDendritic spinesLifetime cocaine useAssociation of entorhinal cortical tau deposition and hippocampal synaptic density in older individuals with normal cognition and early Alzheimer's disease
Mecca AP, Chen MK, O'Dell RS, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Godek TA, Harris JE, Bartlett HH, Zhao W, Banks ER, Ni GS, Rogers K, Gallezot JD, Ropchan J, Emery PR, Nabulsi NB, Vander Wyk BC, Arnsten AFT, Huang Y, Carson RE, van Dyck CH. Association of entorhinal cortical tau deposition and hippocampal synaptic density in older individuals with normal cognition and early Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology Of Aging 2021, 111: 44-53. PMID: 34963063, PMCID: PMC8761170, DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.11.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHippocampal synaptic densitySynaptic densityAlzheimer's diseaseCortical tau depositionEarly neuropathologic changesInitial clinical featuresSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AEarly Alzheimer's diseaseOverall sampleEntorhinal cortical cellsClinical featuresNeuropathologic changesTau depositionTau pathologyInverse associationPerforant pathAD groupSynaptic failureNormal cognitionOlder individualsEarly degenerationDiseaseNormal participantsHippocampusTauIn vivo evidence of lower synaptic vesicle density in schizophrenia
Radhakrishnan R, Skosnik PD, Ranganathan M, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Finnema S, Hillmer AT, Esterlis I, Huang Y, Nabulsi N, Carson RE, D’Souza D. In vivo evidence of lower synaptic vesicle density in schizophrenia. Molecular Psychiatry 2021, 26: 7690-7698. PMID: 34135473, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01184-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynaptic vesicle densityHealthy controlsVesicle densityHigh-resolution research tomographySynaptic densitySCZ patientsVivo measuresNovel positron emission tomography (PET) ligandGender-matched healthy controlsCumulative antipsychotic exposurePositron emission tomography (PET) ligandSynaptic spine densityPsychosis symptom severityGray matter volumeJ bindingAntipsychotic exposureSpine densityDisease progressionFrontal cortexOccipital cortexTomography ligandTemporal cortexAnterior cingulateVivo findingsParietal cortexPreliminary In Vivo Evidence of Reduced Synaptic Density in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Despite Antiretroviral Therapy
Weiss JJ, Calvi R, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Farhadian SF, Chintanaphol M, Chiarella J, Zheng MQ, Ropchan J, Huang Y, Pietrzak RH, Carson RE, Spudich S. Preliminary In Vivo Evidence of Reduced Synaptic Density in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Despite Antiretroviral Therapy. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2021, 73: 1404-1411. PMID: 34050746, PMCID: PMC8528400, DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab484.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman immunodeficiency virusAntiretroviral therapySynaptic densityMagnetic resonance imagingMale PLWHImmunodeficiency virusUnderwent magnetic resonance imagingPositron emission tomographicCross-sectional pilotHIV neuropathogenesisViral suppressionCommon complicationSynaptic injuryNeurological impairmentDynamic biomarkersPLWHTherapeutic studiesCortical areasMotor coordinationPathological hallmarkPET scanningPromising biomarkerTherapeutic interventionsResonance imagingPegboard performanceComparison of [11C]UCB-J and [18F]FDG PET in Alzheimer’s disease: A tracer kinetic modeling study
Chen MK, Mecca AP, Naganawa M, Gallezot JD, Toyonaga T, Mondal J, Finnema SJ, Lin SF, O’Dell R, McDonald JW, Michalak HR, Vander Wyk B, Nabulsi NB, Huang Y, Arnsten AF, van Dyck CH, Carson RE. Comparison of [11C]UCB-J and [18F]FDG PET in Alzheimer’s disease: A tracer kinetic modeling study. Cerebrovascular And Brain Metabolism Reviews 2021, 41: 2395-2409. PMID: 33757318, PMCID: PMC8393289, DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211004312.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynaptic densityMedial temporal regionsAlzheimer's diseaseNeocortical regionsTemporal regionsRelative outcome measuresMedial temporal lobeVivo PET imagingJ bindingOutcome measuresTemporal lobeMagnitude of reductionCN participantsBrain regionsAD participantsDiseasePET imagingConcordant reductionNormal participantsSynaptic vesiclesPerfusionMetabolismSuitable markerParticipantsSimilar patternAssociation of Aβ deposition and regional synaptic density in early Alzheimer’s disease: a PET imaging study with [11C]UCB-J
O’Dell R, Mecca AP, Chen MK, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Lu Y, Godek TA, Harris JE, Bartlett HH, Banks ER, Kominek VL, Zhao W, Nabulsi NB, Ropchan J, Ye Y, Vander Wyk BC, Huang Y, Arnsten AFT, Carson RE, van Dyck CH. Association of Aβ deposition and regional synaptic density in early Alzheimer’s disease: a PET imaging study with [11C]UCB-J. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy 2021, 13: 11. PMID: 33402201, PMCID: PMC7786921, DOI: 10.1186/s13195-020-00742-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRegional Aβ depositionAβ depositionEarly Alzheimer's diseaseSynaptic lossSynaptic densityAlzheimer's diseaseDistribution volume ratioPositron emission tomographyHippocampal synaptic densityMild AD dementiaDeposition of AβSignificant inverse associationAmnestic mild cognitive impairmentWhole-brain analysisMild cognitive impairmentCerebellar reference regionPET imaging studiesPlaque burdenAD dementiaInverse associationPostmortem studiesClinical severityNeurodegenerative processesClinical diseaseLarge cohort
2020
PET Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Protein 2A
Finnema S, Li S, Cai Z, Naganawa M, Chen M, Matuskey D, Nabulsi N, Esterlis I, Holmes S, Radhakrishnan R, Toyonaga T, Huang Y, Carson R. PET Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Protein 2A. 2020, 993-1019. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-53176-8_29.ChaptersSynaptic vesicle protein 2APositron emission tomographyAntiepileptic drug levetiracetamInitial PET studiesPET imagingPET studiesSynaptic densityDrug levetiracetamHigh-affinity SV2A ligandsBrain regionsSynaptic density lossNeuropathological diseasesDisease-modifying therapiesLarge patient cohortMajor depressive disorderProtein 2APET imaging resultsPosttraumatic stress disorderPatient groupPatient cohortDepressive disorderClinical valueParkinson's diseaseEfficacy assessmentSynaptic vesicle proteinsPreliminary in vivo evidence of lower hippocampal synaptic density in cannabis use disorder
D’Souza D, Radhakrishnan R, Naganawa M, Ganesh S, Nabulsi N, Najafzadeh S, Ropchan J, Ranganathan M, Cortes-Briones J, Huang Y, Carson RE, Skosnik P. Preliminary in vivo evidence of lower hippocampal synaptic density in cannabis use disorder. Molecular Psychiatry 2020, 26: 3192-3200. PMID: 32973170, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00891-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHippocampal synaptic densityCannabis use disorderHealthy controlsSynaptic densityPositron emission tomographyUse disordersDSM-5 cannabis use disorderVivo evidenceAdministration of cannabinoidsHippocampal synaptic integrityVerbal memory taskSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AHuman cannabis usersEffects of cannabisWarrants further studyPlasma input functionMemory taskCentrum semiovaleAdult rodentsOne-tissue compartment modelSynaptic integrityHippocampal functionCannabis misuseArterial samplingEmission tomographyFirst-in-Human Evaluation of 18F-SynVesT-1, a Radioligand for PET Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A
Naganawa M, Li S, Nabulsi N, Henry S, Zheng MQ, Pracitto R, Cai Z, Gao H, Kapinos M, Labaree D, Matuskey D, Huang Y, Carson RE. First-in-Human Evaluation of 18F-SynVesT-1, a Radioligand for PET Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A. Journal Of Nuclear Medicine 2020, 62: 561-567. PMID: 32859701, PMCID: PMC8049363, DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.120.249144.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsC-UCBSynaptic densityRegional time-activity curvesTime-activity curvesDistribution volumeMetabolite-corrected arterial input functionPET imagingMultilinear analysis 1Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AAntiepileptic drug levetiracetamTotal distribution volumeNondisplaceable distribution volumeCentrum semiovaleBlocking doseHealthy volunteersHuman studiesDrug levetiracetamLassen plotNeuropsychiatric disordersPET radioligandArterial input functionNonhuman primatesLevetiracetamReference regionRadioligandIn vivo measurement of widespread synaptic loss in Alzheimer's disease with SV2A PET
Mecca AP, Chen M, O'Dell RS, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Godek TA, Harris JE, Bartlett HH, Zhao W, Nabulsi NB, Vander Wyk B, Varma P, Arnsten AFT, Huang Y, Carson RE, van Dyck C. In vivo measurement of widespread synaptic loss in Alzheimer's disease with SV2A PET. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2020, 16: 974-982. PMID: 32400950, PMCID: PMC7383876, DOI: 10.1002/alz.12097.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWidespread synaptic lossEarly Alzheimer's diseaseSynaptic lossAlzheimer's diseaseSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AGray matter volumeMajor structural correlatePositron emission tomography (PET) imagingEmission Tomography ImagingDistribution volume ratioCerebellar reference regionNeocortical brain regionsSynaptic densityAD progressionConsistent pathologyPotential therapyMatter volumePromising biomarkerCognitive impairmentCN participantsBrain regionsDiseaseTomography imagingNormal participantsStructural correlates
2019
In Vivo Synaptic Density Imaging with 11C-UCB-J Detects Treatment Effects of Saracatinib in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease
Toyonaga T, Smith LM, Finnema SJ, Gallezot JD, Naganawa M, Bini J, Mulnix T, Cai Z, Ropchan J, Huang Y, Strittmatter SM, Carson RE. In Vivo Synaptic Density Imaging with 11C-UCB-J Detects Treatment Effects of Saracatinib in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease. Journal Of Nuclear Medicine 2019, 60: 1780-1786. PMID: 31101744, PMCID: PMC6894376, DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.118.223867.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAPP/PS1 micePS1 miceAlzheimer's diseaseWT miceSynaptic densityC-UCBDrug washoutTreatment effectsPresenilin 1 (PS1) double transgenic miceHippocampal synaptic densityAPP/PS1Double transgenic miceEnd of treatmentWild-type miceAmyloid precursor proteinEarly Alzheimer's diseaseSignificant differencesSUVR-1New PET tracersMild cognitive impairmentAD miceSynaptic deficitsOral gavageAD treatmentHealthy subjectsLower synaptic density is associated with depression severity and network alterations
Holmes SE, Scheinost D, Finnema SJ, Naganawa M, Davis MT, DellaGioia N, Nabulsi N, Matuskey D, Angarita GA, Pietrzak RH, Duman RS, Sanacora G, Krystal JH, Carson RE, Esterlis I. Lower synaptic density is associated with depression severity and network alterations. Nature Communications 2019, 10: 1529. PMID: 30948709, PMCID: PMC6449365, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09562-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMajor depressive disorderPost-traumatic stress disorderLower synaptic densitySynaptic densityPositron emission tomographyFunctional connectivityNetwork alterationsSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ASymptoms of depressionSynaptic lossDepressive disorderHealthy controlsNerve terminalsDepressive symptomsDepression severityUnmedicated individualsSynaptic connectionsEmission tomographyStress disorderVivo evidenceSymptomsDepressionSeverityDisordersAlterations