2024
Validation 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 pathologySV2A
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 volumeSynaptic PET Imaging in Neurodegeneration
Chen M, Matuskey D, Finnema S, Carson R. Synaptic PET Imaging in Neurodegeneration. 2023, 157-167. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-35098-6_10.ChaptersAlzheimer's diseaseSynaptic densityProgressive supranuclear palsySynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ALarge patient cohortPositron emission tomography (PET) biomarkersInitial PET studiesMultiple neurodegenerative diseasesSupranuclear palsyCorticobasal degenerationLewy bodiesPatient cohortSynapse densityTomography biomarkersClinical valueParkinson's diseaseNeurological diseasesBrain regionsFrontotemporal dementiaPET studiesDiseaseNeurodegenerative diseasesHuntington's diseaseMultiple centersSynaptic vesicle membraneAssessment of Gray Matter Microstructure and Synaptic Density in Alzheimer's Disease: A Multimodal Imaging Study With DTI and SV2A PET
Silva-Rudberg J, Salardini E, O'Dell R, Chen M, Ra J, Georgelos J, Morehouse M, Melino K, Varma P, Toyonaga T, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Carson R, van Dyck C, Mecca A. Assessment of Gray Matter Microstructure and Synaptic Density in Alzheimer's Disease: A Multimodal Imaging Study With DTI and SV2A PET. American Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry 2023, 32: 17-28. PMID: 37673749, PMCID: PMC10840732, DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.08.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSynaptic densityAlzheimer's diseaseMean diffusivitySynaptic lossGray matter microstructureGray matter mean diffusivityDisease pathologyHippocampal synaptic densityMajor pathological correlateSetting of ADAD-related neuropathologySynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AHippocampal mean diffusivityAlzheimer's disease pathologyAmyloid-positive participantsMatter mean diffusivityPositron emission tomography (PET) imagingEmission Tomography ImagingGray matter structuresPathological correlatesPositive participantsInverse associationAD groupCognitive impairmentDisease
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 association
2021
Association 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 participantsHippocampusTauComparison 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 proteinsBinding 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 correlates
2018
Assessing 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 measures
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 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