title: Molecular imaging insights into neurodegeneration: focus on α-synuclein radiotracers.
abstract: Neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the presence of α-synuclein-a hallmark of pathologic inclusions termed Lewy bodies-include Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple-system atrophy. Although motor symptoms are related to the altered presynaptic dopaminergic function in these diseases, the appearance of α-synuclein inclusions precedes the involvement of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway. Hence, the most accurate and earliest definition of premotor Parkinson's disease ought to rely on imaging α-synuclein rather than dopaminergic changes. Moreover, dopaminergic imaging has been controversial in monitoring the effects of investigational disease-modifying drugs. For these clinical trials, intense interest in longitudinally imaging α-synuclein as the primary pathologic process has led to efforts toward developing a suitable radiotracer for this key protein. An overview of the present α-synuclein radiotracer development scenario is presented here.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research and Development-Neurosciences, Piramal Imaging GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Maliha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders, New Haven, Connecticut; and.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seibyl
authors.affiliation: ICB International, Inc., La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cartier
authors.affiliation: ICB International, Inc., La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Ram
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research and Development-Neurosciences, Piramal Imaging GmbH, Berlin, Germany ana.catafau@piramal.com.
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Catafau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D051844:alpha-Synuclein
keywords: Parkinson’s; imaging; neurodegeneration; radiotracer; α-synuclein