title: Molecular imaging as a guide for the treatment of central nervous system disorders.
abstract: Molecular imaging techniques have a number of advantages for research into the pathophysiology and treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Firstly, they provide a noninvasive means of characterizing physiological processes in the living brain, enabling molecular alterations to be linked to clinical changes. Secondly, the pathophysiological target in a given CNS disorder can be measured in animal models and in experimental human models in the same way, which enables translational research. Moreover, as molecular imaging facilitates the detection of functional change which precedes gross pathology, it is particularly useful for the early diagnosis and treatment of CNS disorders. This review considers the application of molecular imaging to CNS disorders focusing on its potential to inform the development and evaluation of treatments. We focus on schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, depression, and dementia as major CNS disorders. We also review the potential of molecular imaging to guide new drug development for CNS disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi-do 463-707, Korea.
authors.forename: Euitae
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Oliver D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Howes
authors.forename: Shitij
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Parkinson's disease, dementia; depression; molecular imaging; positron emission tomography; schizophrenia; single photon emission computed tomography