Featured Publications
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 ResearchConceptsSynaptic 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
2024
Challenges and rewards of in vivo synaptic density imaging, and its application to the study of depression
Asch R, Abdallah C, Carson R, Esterlis I. Challenges and rewards of in vivo synaptic density imaging, and its application to the study of depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024, 1-11. PMID: 39039139, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01913-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchStudies of depressionAnimal models of chronic stressPositron emission tomographyModel of chronic stressSV2A imagingSynaptic densitySignificant depressive symptomsDevelopment of novel radiotracersDepressive symptomsNeuropsychiatric disordersSymptom severityChronic stressDrug challengeSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 ANeural markersAnimal modelsSynaptic alterationsSynaptogenesis in vivoPreliminary findingsIn vivo quantificationCentral nervous systemDepressionEmission tomographySV2ASV2A positron emission tomography
2023
PET Imaging of Rho‐Associated Protein Kinase 2 in A Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Zheng C, Nicholson L, Chen B, Toyonaga T, Liu M, Strittmatter S, Carson R, Huang Y, Cai Z. PET Imaging of Rho‐Associated Protein Kinase 2 in A Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2023, 19 DOI: 10.1002/alz.075782.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAPP/PS1 micePS1 miceWT miceCentral nervous systemTime-activity curvesAlzheimer's diseaseAPP/PS1 transgenic miceAPP/PS1 transgenic AD miceMouse brainAge-matched WT controlsPS1 transgenic miceAPP/PS1Transgenic AD miceDynamic PET imaging dataROCK2 protein expressionAD drug discoveryHigh tracer uptakeMin post injectionPET imaging resultsExpression levelsReference tissue model 2PET imaging dataProtein expression levelsAD miceMouse modelPET Imaging of Rho‐Associated Protein Kinase 2 in A Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Zheng C, Nicholson L, Chen B, Toyonaga T, Liu M, Strittmatter S, Carson R, Huang Y, Cai Z. PET Imaging of Rho‐Associated Protein Kinase 2 in A Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2023, 19 DOI: 10.1002/alz.081695.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAPP/PS1 micePS1 miceWT miceCentral nervous systemTime-activity curvesAlzheimer's diseaseAPP/PS1 transgenic miceAPP/PS1 transgenic AD miceMouse brainAge-matched WT controlsPS1 transgenic miceAPP/PS1Transgenic AD miceDynamic PET imaging dataROCK2 protein expressionAD drug discoveryHigh tracer uptakeMin post injectionPET imaging resultsExpression levelsReference tissue model 2PET imaging dataProtein expression levelsAD miceRegional time-activity curvesEvaluation of a First PET Tracer Suitable for Imaging the Sigma‑2 Receptor in the Brain of Nonhuman Primates
Alluri S, Zheng M, Holden D, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Felchner Z, Li S, Ropchan J, Carson R, Jia H, Huang Y. Evaluation of a First PET Tracer Suitable for Imaging the Sigma‑2 Receptor in the Brain of Nonhuman Primates. Molecular Pharmaceutics 2023, 21: 194-200. PMID: 38013422, DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00750.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlzheimer's diseaseLimited brain uptakeNonhuman primate brainCentral nervous systemPotential therapeutic targetPositron emission tomography (PET) imagingEmission Tomography ImagingTransmembrane protein 97Sigma-2 receptorsFirst PET tracerBrain penetrantBrain uptakeTherapeutic targetNervous systemPrimate brainNeurological disordersPET tracersNonhuman primatesTomography imagingProtein 97CancerDiseaseBrainCell typesReceptors