title: Striatal 18F-dopa uptake: absence of an aging effect.
abstract: L-[18F]6-Fluoro-DOPA (L-[18F]6-fluoro-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine; FDOPA) has been used with quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) to assess presynaptic nigrostriatal dopaminergic function in life. The relationship of estimated kinetic rate constants for striatal FDOPA uptake [Ki(FDOPA)] to the normal aging process has been the subject of conflicting reports. Resolution of this issue has been hampered by methodological differences in previous FDOPA/PET investigations. We studied 19 healthy normal subjects (aged 27-77 years) and measured striatal Ki-(FDOPA) according to each of the earlier methods. While significant correlations (p < 0.005) existed between Ki(FDOPA) values estimated by the various techniques, none correlated with normal aging. We conclude that normal striatal Ki(FDOPA) values estimated using quantitative FDOPA/PET are uncorrelated with the aging process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, North Shore University Hospital/Cornell University Medical College, Manhasset, NY 11030.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eidelberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takikawa
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dhawan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chaly
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Robeson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Margouleff
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Moeller
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Patlak
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fahn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; C055151:3-O-methyl-6-fluoro-dopa; C043437:fluorodopa F 18; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine