title: PET measurements of dopaminergic pathways in the brain.
abstract: Positron emission tomography (PET) measurements of dopaminergic pathways have revealed several new insights into the role of dopamine in the pathophysiology and pharmacology of brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD), dystonia and schizophrenia. PET studies of regional blood flow or metabolism identifies sites of regional pathology. Drug-induced changes in flow or metabolism indicate the function of dopamine-mediated pathways. Measurements of radioligand binding in vivo with PET reveals abnormalities associated with specific diseases and the actions of various drugs that affect the dopaminergic system. Finally, PET measurements of the uptake of analogues of levodopa provide clues to the function of dopamine pathways potentially important for diagnosis and treatment of disease like PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Perlmutter
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Moerlein
mesh_terms: D000320:Adrenergic Fibers / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004421:Dystonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D015259:Dopamine Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D007980:Levodopa; D004298:Dopamine