2022
Imaging the fetal nonhuman primate brain with SV2A positron emission tomography (PET)
Rossano S, Toyonaga T, Berg E, Lorence I, Fowles K, Nabulsi N, Ropchan J, Li S, Ye Y, Felchner Z, Kukis D, Huang Y, Benveniste H, Tarantal AF, Groman S, Carson RE. Imaging the fetal nonhuman primate brain with SV2A positron emission tomography (PET). European Journal Of Nuclear Medicine And Molecular Imaging 2022, 49: 3679-3691. PMID: 35633376, PMCID: PMC9826644, DOI: 10.1007/s00259-022-05825-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBrainMacaca mulattaMembrane GlycoproteinsNerve Tissue ProteinsPositron-Emission TomographyConceptsPositron emission tomographySynaptic densityFetal brainThird trimesterEmission tomographyBrain developmentGravid rhesus monkeysPost-mortem brain tissueEarly neonatal periodNonhuman primate brainLate gestational periodSubset of subjectsPostnatal brain developmentPost-mortem samplesGestational ageNeonatal periodPregnant monkeysSynapse numberGestational periodPrimary motorPrimate brainBrain growthSubcortical regionsBrain tissueCortical regionsImaging 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 ResearchMeSH KeywordsBrainCocaineHumansNerve Tissue ProteinsPositron-Emission TomographyPrefrontal CortexPyridinesSynaptic VesiclesConceptsCocaine 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 useIn 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 ResearchMeSH KeywordsBrainHumansNerve Tissue ProteinsPositron-Emission TomographySchizophreniaSynaptic VesiclesConceptsSynaptic 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 cortex
2020
Preliminary 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 ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBrainHippocampusMarijuana AbuseNerve Tissue ProteinsPositron-Emission TomographyPyridinesConceptsHippocampal 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 tomographyReduced synaptic vesicle protein 2A binding in temporal lobe epilepsy: A [11C]UCB‐J positron emission tomography study
Finnema SJ, Toyonaga T, Detyniecki K, Chen M, Dias M, Wang Q, Lin S, Naganawa M, Gallezot J, Lu Y, Nabulsi NB, Huang Y, Spencer DD, Carson RE. Reduced synaptic vesicle protein 2A binding in temporal lobe epilepsy: A [11C]UCB‐J positron emission tomography study. Epilepsia 2020, 61: 2183-2193. PMID: 32944949, DOI: 10.1111/epi.16653.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMedial temporal lobe sclerosisTemporal lobe epilepsyTLE subjectsPositron emission tomographyLobe epilepsyJ BPSynaptic vesicle protein 2APartial volume correctionTemporal lobe sclerosisPositron emission tomography studyEmission tomography studiesSeizure onset zonePromising biomarker approachJ bindingPresurgical selectionSclerotic hippocampusHippocampal asymmetryTLE patientsRegional binding patternsControl subjectsCentrum semiovaleContralateral regionsEpilepsy patientsOutcome measuresOnset zoneBinding of the synaptic vesicle radiotracer [11C]UCB-J is unchanged during functional brain activation using a visual stimulation task
Smart K, Liu H, Matuskey D, Chen MK, Torres K, Nabulsi N, Labaree D, Ropchan J, Hillmer AT, Huang Y, Carson RE. Binding of the synaptic vesicle radiotracer [11C]UCB-J is unchanged during functional brain activation using a visual stimulation task. Cerebrovascular And Brain Metabolism Reviews 2020, 41: 1067-1079. PMID: 32757741, PMCID: PMC8054713, DOI: 10.1177/0271678x20946198.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVisual cortexVisual stimulationPositron emission tomography radioligandBrain activationBlood flow increasesVolume of distributionPrimary visual cortexCheckerboard visual stimulationFunctional brain activationFunctional magnetic resonanceReference tissue modelFMRI BOLD responsesSynaptic densityVisual stimulation taskOne-tissue compartment modelHealthy volunteersNeuronal firingTomography radioligandPET scansTissue influxVivo measuresRobust increaseBOLD responseTracer influxStimulation taskIn 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 correlatesSynaptic Changes in Parkinson Disease Assessed with in vivo Imaging
Matuskey D, Tinaz S, Wilcox KC, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Dias M, Henry S, Pittman B, Ropchan J, Nabulsi N, Suridjan I, Comley RA, Huang Y, Finnema SJ, Carson RE. Synaptic Changes in Parkinson Disease Assessed with in vivo Imaging. Annals Of Neurology 2020, 87: 329-338. PMID: 31953875, PMCID: PMC7065227, DOI: 10.1002/ana.25682.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSubstantia nigraParkinson's diseaseNormal controlsSynaptic changesPositron emission tomographic imagingSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AParkinson's disease groupParkinson's disease subjectsEmission tomographic imagingPrimary brain areasAnn NeurolPostmortem autoradiographyBilateral diseaseNonmotor symptomsSynaptic lossNeuronal alterationsRelevant cortical areasStriatal dopamineBrainstem nucleiDisease groupDopamine neuronsLocus coeruleusCortical areasRed nucleusDopamine systemSynthesis and Preclinical Evaluation of an 18F‑Labeled Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A PET Imaging Probe: [18F]SynVesT‑2
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 Chemical Neuroscience 2020, 11: 592-603. PMID: 31961649, DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00618.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAlzheimer DiseaseAnimalsBrainEpilepsyHumansMembrane GlycoproteinsNerve Tissue ProteinsPrimatesSynaptic VesiclesConceptsPET imaging probeHigh specific binding signalsNon-human primate brainSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ATraumatic brain injuryPost-traumatic stress disorderMultiple sclerosisBrain injuryParkinson's diseasePreclinical evaluationSpecific binding signalsPrimate brainAlzheimer's diseaseNeuropsychiatric diseasesPresynaptic vesiclesStress disorderDiseaseImaging probeTransmembrane glycoproteinSclerosisPrognosisEpilepsyInjuryStrokeSV2A
2019
Assessment of a white matter reference region for 11C-UCB-J PET quantification
Rossano S, Toyonaga T, Finnema SJ, Naganawa M, Lu Y, Nabulsi N, Ropchan J, De Bruyn S, Otoul C, Stockis A, Nicolas JM, Martin P, Mercier J, Huang Y, Maguire RP, Carson RE. Assessment of a white matter reference region for 11C-UCB-J PET quantification. Cerebrovascular And Brain Metabolism Reviews 2019, 40: 1890-1901. PMID: 31570041, PMCID: PMC7446568, DOI: 10.1177/0271678x19879230.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLower 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 evidenceSymptomsDepressionSeverityDisordersAlterationsA single‐center, open‐label positron emission tomography study to evaluate brivaracetam and levetiracetam synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A binding in healthy volunteers
Finnema SJ, Rossano S, Naganawa M, Henry S, Gao H, Pracitto R, Maguire RP, Mercier J, Kervyn S, Nicolas J, Klitgaard H, DeBruyn S, Otoul C, Martin P, Muglia P, Matuskey D, Nabulsi NB, Huang Y, Kaminski RM, Hannestad J, Stockis A, Carson RE. A single‐center, open‐label positron emission tomography study to evaluate brivaracetam and levetiracetam synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A binding in healthy volunteers. Epilepsia 2019, 60: 958-967. PMID: 30924924, PMCID: PMC6532410, DOI: 10.1111/epi.14701.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdministration, OralAnticonvulsantsCarbon RadioisotopesFemaleHealthy VolunteersHumansInhibitory Concentration 50Injections, IntravenousLevetiracetamMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMembrane GlycoproteinsNerve Tissue ProteinsNeuroimagingPositron-Emission TomographyProtein BindingPyrrolidinonesConceptsSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AIntravenous brivaracetamHours postdoseBrain penetrationHealthy volunteersDaily oral dosingPositron emission tomography studyFurther clinical studiesEmission tomography studiesPlasma concentration relationshipPositron emission tomography (PET) tracerEmission tomography tracerVivo animal studiesAcute seizuresAntiepileptic drugsTherapeutic dosesCohort 2Oral dosingCohort 1Clinical studiesCohort 3LevetiracetamAnimal studiesRelevant dosesBrivaracetam
2018
Synthesis and in Vivo Evaluation of a Novel PET Radiotracer for Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) in Nonhuman Primates
Li S, Cai Z, Wu X, Holden D, Pracitto R, Kapinos M, Gao H, Labaree D, Nabulsi N, Carson RE, Huang Y. Synthesis and in Vivo Evaluation of a Novel PET Radiotracer for Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) in Nonhuman Primates. ACS Chemical Neuroscience 2018, 10: 1544-1554. PMID: 30396272, PMCID: PMC6810685, DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00526.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AStandardized uptake valuePET radiotracersNonhuman primatesAlterations of synapsesC-UCBPeak standardized uptake valueVivo evaluationHigh brain uptakeNovel PET radiotracersBrain uptakeSynaptic densityExcellent radiotracerPsychiatric disordersUptake valueCingulate cortexAlzheimer's diseaseBrain disordersNovel radiotracersRhesus monkeysNeurodegenerative diseasesTissue kineticsDiseaseAttractive imaging propertiesLevetiracetamAssessing Synaptic Density in Alzheimer Disease With Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A Positron Emission Tomographic Imaging
Chen MK, Mecca AP, Naganawa M, Finnema SJ, Toyonaga T, Lin SF, Najafzadeh S, Ropchan J, Lu Y, McDonald JW, Michalak HR, Nabulsi NB, Arnsten AFT, Huang Y, Carson RE, van Dyck CH. Assessing Synaptic Density in Alzheimer Disease With Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A Positron Emission Tomographic Imaging. JAMA Neurology 2018, 75: 1215-1224. PMID: 30014145, PMCID: PMC6233853, DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.1836.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPositron emission tomographic imagingSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ASynaptic densityAlzheimer's diseaseEmission tomographic imagingHigh-resolution PET scanningPET scanningCognitive impairmentDisease-modifying therapiesDisease-modifying treatmentsNormal participantsCross-sectional studyPittsburgh compound BMajor structural correlateAmnestic mild cognitive impairmentMagnetic resonance imagingMild cognitive impairmentJ PET imagingRestoration of synapsesSpecific bindingNeurologic evaluationSynaptic lossDisease stagePostmortem studiesOutcome measuresPET imaging of synaptic density: A new tool for investigation of neuropsychiatric diseases
Cai Z, Li S, Matuskey D, Nabulsi N, Huang Y. PET imaging of synaptic density: A new tool for investigation of neuropsychiatric diseases. Neuroscience Letters 2018, 691: 44-50. PMID: 30075287, PMCID: PMC6339829, DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.07.038.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2017
Kinetic evaluation and test–retest reproducibility of [11C]UCB-J, a novel radioligand for positron emission tomography imaging of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A in humans
Finnema SJ, Nabulsi NB, Mercier J, Lin SF, Chen MK, Matuskey D, Gallezot JD, Henry S, Hannestad J, Huang Y, Carson RE. Kinetic evaluation and test–retest reproducibility of [11C]UCB-J, a novel radioligand for positron emission tomography imaging of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A in humans. Cerebrovascular And Brain Metabolism Reviews 2017, 38: 2041-2052. PMID: 28792356, PMCID: PMC6259313, DOI: 10.1177/0271678x17724947.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltered metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 markers in PTSD: In vivo and postmortem evidence
Holmes SE, Girgenti MJ, Davis MT, Pietrzak RH, DellaGioia N, Nabulsi N, Matuskey D, Southwick S, Duman RS, Carson RE, Krystal JH, Esterlis I, Friedman M, Kowall N, Brady C, McKee A, Stein T, Huber B, Kaloupek D, Alvarez V, Benedek D, Ursano R, Williamson D, Cruz D, Young K, Duman R, Krystal J, Mash D, Hardegree M, Serlin G. Altered metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 markers in PTSD: In vivo and postmortem evidence. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2017, 114: 8390-8395. PMID: 28716937, PMCID: PMC5547601, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1701749114.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderMGluR5 availabilityPositron emission tomographyGlutamate systemMetabotropic glutamate receptor 5Treatment of PTSDHuman posttraumatic stress disorderGlutamate receptor 5Mechanism-based treatmentsExpression of FKBP5Promising treatment targetHuman postmortem tissueTargeted pharmacological treatmentStress psychopathologyPharmacological treatmentExpression of proteinsReceptor 5MGluR5Treatment targetsPostmortem tissueEmission tomographyStress disorderPostmortem samplesPromising targetDisorders
2016
Imaging synaptic density in the living human brain
Finnema SJ, Nabulsi NB, Eid T, Detyniecki K, Lin SF, Chen MK, Dhaher R, Matuskey D, Baum E, Holden D, Spencer DD, Mercier J, Hannestad J, Huang Y, Carson RE. Imaging synaptic density in the living human brain. Science Translational Medicine 2016, 8: 348ra96. PMID: 27440727, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaf6667.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAgedBrainEpilepsyFemaleHumansMaleMembrane GlycoproteinsMiddle AgedNerve Tissue ProteinsPositron-Emission TomographySynapsesConceptsSynaptic densityPositron emission tomographyPET imagingSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ATemporal lobe epilepsyNumerous brain disordersCentral nervous systemNumber of synapsesJ PET imagingHuman brainHuman PET studiesPredominant neuronsSurgical resectionSynaptic lossLobe epilepsyPsychiatric disordersNervous systemBrain disordersPresynaptic boutonsAlzheimer's diseaseBrain tissueEmission tomographyNeuron contactsTherapeutic monitoringPET studies
2015
Brivaracetam, a selective high‐affinity synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) ligand with preclinical evidence of high brain permeability and fast onset of action
Nicolas JM, Hannestad J, Holden D, Kervyn S, Nabulsi N, Tytgat D, Huang Y, Chanteux H, Staelens L, Matagne A, Mathy FX, Mercier J, Stockis A, Carson RE, Klitgaard H. Brivaracetam, a selective high‐affinity synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) ligand with preclinical evidence of high brain permeability and fast onset of action. Epilepsia 2015, 57: 201-209. PMID: 26663401, DOI: 10.1111/epi.13267.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFaster onsetAcute seizuresHigh-affinity synaptic vesicle protein 2A ligandNonhuman primate PET studyAudiogenic seizure miceRapid brain entryOnset of actionSingle oral dosingHigh brain permeabilityBlood-brain barrier permeability (BBBP) valuesPrimate PET studyAudiogenic miceBrain entryCaco-2 cellsSeizure micePreclinical evidenceAntiepileptic drugsSusceptible miceBrain levelsBrain penetrationPreclinical dataBrain kineticsOral dosingSingle dosingClinical studies