Kinetics of the metabolism of four PET radioligands in living minipigs

On the learning of addictive behavior: Sensation-seeking propensity predicts dopamine turnover in dorsal striatum

We asked if sensation-seeking is linked to premorbid personality characteristics in patients with addictive disorders, or the characteristics follow the sensation-seeking activity. We interpreted the former as a state associated with normal rates of dopamine synthesis, and the latter as a trait of individuals with abnormally high rates of synthesis. We previously determined dopaminergic receptor density in striatum, and we now tested the hypothesis that an elevated dopaminergic condition with increased extracellular dopamine and receptor density follows increased dopamine synthesis capacity in highly sensation-seeking individuals, as measured by positron emission tomography of 18 men with tracer fluorodopa (FDOPA). We detected a site in left caudate nucleus where the volume of distribution of FDOPA-derived metabolites correlated negatively with FDOPA metabolite turnover, consistent with decreased metabolite breakdown in highly sensation-seeking subjects. High rates of sensation-seeking attenuated the dopamine turnover in association with a low rate of dopamine recycling, low dopamine oxidation, and elevated extracellular dopamine and receptors in caudate nucleus. In contrast, low rates of sensation-seeking were associated with rapid dopamine recycling, rapid dopamine oxidation, low extracellular dopamine, and low receptor density. We conclude that the modulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission associated with sensation-seeking is a state of sensation-seeking, rather than a trait of personality following abnormal regulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission.

Fluorine-18 Radiolabeled PET Tracers for Imaging Monoamine Transporters: Dopamine, Serotonin, and Norepinephrine

This review focuses on the development of fluorine-18 radiolabeled PET tracers for imaging the dopamine transporter (DAT), serotonin transporter (SERT), and norepinephrine transporter (NET). All successful DAT PET tracers reported to date are members of the 3β-phenyl tropane class and are synthesized from cocaine. Currently available carbon-11 SERT PET tracers come from both the diphenylsulfide and 3β-phenyl nortropane class, but so far only the nortropanes have found success with fluorine-18 derivatives. NET imaging has so far employed carbon-11 and fluorine-18 derivatives of reboxetine but due to defluorination of the fluorine-18 derivatives further research is still necessary.

A Promising PET Tracer for Imaging of α₇ Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in the Brain: Design, Synthesis, and in Vivo Evaluation of a Dibenzothiophene-Based Radioligand

Changes in the expression of α₇ nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α₇ nAChRs) in the human brain are widely assumed to be associated with neurological and neurooncological processes. Investigation of these receptors invivo depends on the availability of imaging agents such as radioactively labelled ligands applicable in positron emission tomography (PET). We report on a series of new ligands for α₇ nAChRs designed by the combination of dibenzothiophene dioxide as a novel hydrogen bond acceptor functionality with diazabicyclononane as an established cationic center. To assess the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of this new basic structure, we further modified the cationic center systematically by introduction of three different piperazine-based scaffolds. Based on invitro binding affinity and selectivity, assessed by radioligand displacement studies at different rat and human nAChR subtypes and at the structurally related human 5-HT₃ receptor, we selected the compound 7-(1,4-diazabicyclo[3.2.2]nonan-4-yl)-2-fluorodibenzo-[b,d]thiophene 5,5-dioxide (10a) for radiolabeling and further evaluation invivo. Radiosynthesis of [¹⁸F]10a was optimized and transferred to an automated module. Dynamic PET imaging studies with [¹⁸F]10a in piglets and a monkey demonstrated high uptake of radioactivity in the brain, followed by washout and target-region specific accumulation under baseline conditions. Kinetic analysis of [¹⁸F]10a in pig was performed using a two-tissue compartment model with arterial-derived input function. Our initial evaluation revealed that the dibenzothiophene-based PET radioligand [¹⁸F]10a ([¹⁸F]DBT-10) has high potential to provide clinically relevant information about the expression and availability of α₇ nAChR in the brain.

Improved Automated Radiosynthesis of [(11)C]PBR28

Microglial activation is commonly identified by elevated levels of the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) in response to several inflammatory processes. [(11)C]PBR28 is one of the most promising PET tracers to image TSPO in both human and non-human primates. In this study, we optimized the radiolabeling procedure of [(11)C]PBR28 for higher radiochemical yield, radiochemical purity, and specific activity, which can be easily translated to any automated module for clinical trials. Time-activity curves (TACs) derived from the dynamic PET imaging of male rhesus monkey brains demonstrated that [(11)C]PBR28 had suitable kinetics with radiotracer accumulation observed in the caudate, putamen, cerebellum, and frontal cortex region.

Acute and sustained effects of methylphenidate on cognition and presynaptic dopamine metabolism: an [18F]FDOPA PET study

Methylphenidate (MPH) inhibits the reuptake of dopamine and noradrenaline. PET studies with MPH challenge show increased competition at postsynaptic D2/3-receptors, thus indirectly revealing presynaptic dopamine release. We used [(18)F]fluorodopamine ([(18)F]FDOPA)-PET in conjunction with the inlet-outlet model (IOM) of Kumakura et al. (2007) to investigate acute and long-term changes in dopamine synthesis capacity and turnover in nigrostriatal fibers of healthy subjects with MPH challenge. Twenty healthy human females underwent two dynamic [(18)F]FDOPA PET scans (124 min; slow bolus-injection; arterial blood sampling), with one scan in untreated baseline condition and the other after MPH administration (0.5 mg/kg, p.o.), in randomized order. Subjects underwent cognitive testing at each PET session. Time activity curves were obtained for ventral putamen and caudate and were analyzed according to the IOM to obtain the regional net-uptake of [(18)F]FDOPA (K; dopamine synthesis capacity) as well as the [(18)F]fluorodopamine washout rate (kloss, index of dopamine turnover). MPH substantially decreased kloss in putamen (-22%; p = 0.003). In the reversed treatment order group (MPH/no drug), K was increased by 18% at no drug follow-up. The magnitude of K at the no drug baseline correlated with cognitive parameters. Furthermore, individual kloss changes correlated with altered cognitive performance under MPH. [(18)F]FDOPA PET in combination with the IOM detects an MPH-evoked decrease in striatal dopamine turnover, in accordance with the known acute pharmacodynamics of MPH. Furthermore, the scan-ordering effect on K suggested that a single MPH challenge persistently increased striatal dopamine synthesis capacity. Attenuation of dopamine turnover by MPH is linked to enhanced cognitive performance in healthy females.

Chronic alcohol intake abolishes the relationship between dopamine synthesis capacity and learning signals in the ventral striatum

Drugs of abuse elicit dopamine release in the ventral striatum, possibly biasing dopamine-driven reinforcement learning towards drug-related reward at the expense of non-drug-related reward. Indeed, in alcohol-dependent patients, reactivity in dopaminergic target areas is shifted from non-drug-related stimuli towards drug-related stimuli. Such 'hijacked' dopamine signals may impair flexible learning from non-drug-related rewards, and thus promote craving for the drug of abuse. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure ventral striatal activation by reward prediction errors (RPEs) during a probabilistic reversal learning task in recently detoxified alcohol-dependent patients and healthy controls (N = 27). All participants also underwent 6-[(18) F]fluoro-DOPA positron emission tomography to assess ventral striatal dopamine synthesis capacity. Neither ventral striatal activation by RPEs nor striatal dopamine synthesis capacity differed between groups. However, ventral striatal coding of RPEs correlated inversely with craving in patients. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between ventral striatal coding of RPEs and dopamine synthesis capacity in healthy controls, but not in alcohol-dependent patients. Moderator analyses showed that the magnitude of the association between dopamine synthesis capacity and RPE coding depended on the amount of chronic, habitual alcohol intake. Despite the relatively small sample size, a power analysis supports the reported results. Using a multimodal imaging approach, this study suggests that dopaminergic modulation of neural learning signals is disrupted in alcohol dependence in proportion to long-term alcohol intake of patients. Alcohol intake may perpetuate itself by interfering with dopaminergic modulation of neural learning signals in the ventral striatum, thus increasing craving for habitual drug intake.

Radiosynthesis and validation of ¹⁸F-FP-CMT, a phenyltropane with superior properties for imaging the dopamine transporter in living brain

To date there is no validated, (18)F-labeled dopamine transporter (DAT) radiotracer with a rapid kinetic profile suitable for preclinical small-animal positron emission tomography (PET) studies in rodent models of human basal ganglia disease. Herein we report radiosynthesis and validation of the phenyltropane (18)F-FP-CMT. Dynamic PET recordings were obtained for (18)F-FP-CMT in six untreated rats, and six rats pretreated with the high-affinity DAT ligand GBR 12909; mean parametric maps of binding potential (BPND) relative to the cerebellum reference region, and maps of total distribution volume (VT) relative to the metabolite-corrected arterial input were produced. (18)F-FP-CMT BPND maps showed peak values of ∼4 in the striatum, versus ∼0.4 in the vicinity of the substantia nigra. Successive truncation of the PET recordings indicated that stable BPND estimates could be obtained with recordings lasting only 45 minutes, reflecting rapid kinetics of (18)F-FP-CMT. Pretreatment with GBR 12909 reduced the striatal binding by 72% to 76%. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed rapid metabolism of (18)F-FP-CMT to a single, non-brain penetrant hydrophilic metabolite. Total distribution of volume calculated relative to the metabolite-corrected arterial input was 4.4 mL/g in the cerebellum. The pharmacological selectivity of (18)F-FP-CMT, rapid kinetic profile, and lack of problematic metabolites constitute optimal properties for quantitation of DAT in rat, and may also predict applicability in human PET studies.

Biodistribution studies of two 18F-labeled pyridinylphenyl amides as subtype selective radioligands for the dopamine D3 receptor

INTRODUCTION

Dopamine D3 receptors are implicated in various neuropsychiatric diseases, drug abuse and alcoholism, but specific agents for D3 molecular imaging are lacking. We evaluated two in vitro selective fluorine-18-labeled radioligand candidates ([(18)F]5 and [(18)F]6) for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of D3 receptor availability in the brain.

METHODS

Biodistribution was evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats using ex vivo autoradiography and small-animal PET. Protein binding studies were conducted in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid.

RESULTS

[(18)F]5 showed rapid blood-brain barrier penetration and fast washout after intravenous injection, whereas the rat brain penetration of [(18)F]6 was lower. The total distribution volume (VT) of [(18)F]5 was 20-26 mL g(-1) throughout brain. Co-injection with the D3 antagonist BP897 resulted in globally increased cerebral washout of [(18)F]5 and [(18)F]6, but SUV analysis and parametric mapping of binding potential (BPND) relative to the cerebellum did not reveal specific binding of either ligand in D3-rich brain regions, i.e. the ventral striatum. However, there was substantial displaceable binding of [(18)F]5, and to a lesser extent [(18)F]6, in the pituitary.

CONCLUSION

These radioligands reveal dopamine D3 receptors in the pituitary, but are not suitable for PET imaging of in brain, possibly due to low specific signal relative to the globally high VT.

Increased turnover of dopamine in caudate nucleus of detoxified alcoholic patients

A previous study of the DOPA decarboxylase substrate 6-[¹⁸F]fluoro-L-DOPA (FDOPA) with positron emission tomography (PET) detected no difference of the net blood-brain transfer rate (K_in^app) between detoxified alcoholic patients and healthy controls. Instead, the study revealed an inverse correlation between K_in^app in left ventral striatum and alcohol craving scores. To resolve the influx and efflux phases of radiolabeled molecules, we independently estimated the unidirectional blood-brain FDOPA clearance rate (K) and the washout rate of [¹⁸F]fluorodopamine and its deaminated metabolites (k_loss), and we also calculated the total distribution volume of decarboxylated metabolites and unmetabolized FDOPA as a steady-state index of the dopamine storage capacity (V_d) in brain. The craving scores in the 12 alcoholics correlated positively with the rate of loss (k_loss) in the left ventral striatum. We conclude that craving is most pronounced in the individuals with relatively rapid dopamine turnover in the left ventral striatum. The blood-brain clearance rate (K), corrected for subsequent loss of radiolabeled molecules from brain, was completely normal throughout the brain of the alcoholics, in whom the volume of distribution (V_d) was found to be significantly lower in the left caudate nucleus. The magnitude of V_d in the left caudate head was reduced by 43% relative to the 16 controls, consistent with a 58% increase of k_loss. We interpret the findings as indicating that a trait for rapid dopamine turnover in the ventral striatum subserves craving and reward-dependence, leading to an acquired state of increased dopamine turnover in the dorsal striatum of detoxified alcoholic patients.

Ventral striatal prediction error signaling is associated with dopamine synthesis capacity and fluid intelligence

Fluid intelligence represents the capacity for flexible problem solving and rapid behavioral adaptation. Rewards drive flexible behavioral adaptation, in part via a teaching signal expressed as reward prediction errors in the ventral striatum, which has been associated with phasic dopamine release in animal studies. We examined a sample of 28 healthy male adults using multimodal imaging and biological parametric mapping with (1) functional magnetic resonance imaging during a reversal learning task and (2) in a subsample of 17 subjects also with positron emission tomography using 6-[(18) F]fluoro-L-DOPA to assess dopamine synthesis capacity. Fluid intelligence was measured using a battery of nine standard neuropsychological tests. Ventral striatal BOLD correlates of reward prediction errors were positively correlated with fluid intelligence and, in the right ventral striatum, also inversely correlated with dopamine synthesis capacity (FDOPA K inapp). When exploring aspects of fluid intelligence, we observed that prediction error signaling correlates with complex attention and reasoning. These findings indicate that individual differences in the capacity for flexible problem solving relate to ventral striatal activation during reward-related learning, which in turn proved to be inversely associated with ventral striatal dopamine synthesis capacity.

Pre-clinical characterization of [11C]R05013853 as a novel radiotracer for imaging of the glycine transporter type 1 by positron emission tomography

A specific positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer for the glycine transporter type 1 (GlyT1) would constitute an imaging biomarker to investigate the distribution of GlyT1 in normal individuals and those with neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition it could demonstrate the ability of a novel drug to reach its target in the brain and enable receptor occupancy studies, thus facilitating drug development. In this article we describe the evaluation in non-human primates of two candidate PET radiotracers ([(11)C]RO5013852 and [(11)C]RO5013853) previously characterized in the rat. Both radiotracers showed acceptable uptake in the baboon brain and heterogeneous distribution consistent with that reported for GlyT1. In vivo blockade studies with two specific glycine reuptake inhibitors (GRIs), RO5013853 and bitopertin (RG1678, reduced uptake of both tracers to homogenous levels across brain regions and demonstrated specificity of the signal. [(11)C]RO5013853 showed a larger specific signal and slightly higher brain uptake and was therefore selected for further characterization. Quantitative compartmental analysis of PET data showed that the 2-tissue compartment model with 5 parameters was the most appropriate to describe the kinetics of [(11)C]RO5013853. Two additional methods were used: a) the Logan graphical analysis using plasma input and, b) a linear parametric imaging approach with the 2-tissue compartmental model. These produced VT estimates of comparable magnitude, namely, pons, thalamus and cerebellum>caudate, putamen and cortical regions. High resolution autoradiography with tritiated RO5013853 was used to confirm the binding pattern observed by PET. In vivo metabolism studies in the baboon demonstrated the formation of a single, radiolabeled metabolite more polar than the parent compound. Finally, [(11)C]RO5013853 was used to quantify the degree of cerebral GlyT1 occupancy observed in the baboon following oral administration of bitopertin, a selective GRI presently in Phase III clinical trial. Plasma concentrations of approximately 150-300 ng/mL were estimated to produce 50% GlyT1 occupancy in the thalamus, the cerebellum and the pons. [(11)C]RO5013853 is a promising radiotracer for in vivo imaging of the GlyT1. It can be easily radiolabeled, exhibits moderate metabolism, displays a good specific signal, and is suitable for receptor occupancy studies of therapeutic compounds that target the GlyT1. The successful characterization of [(11)C]RO5013853 in healthy volunteers is presented in this NeuroImage issue (Wong et al., 2013).

Assessment of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor availability in juvenile pig brain with [¹⁸F]NS10743

PURPOSE

To conduct a quantitative PET assessment of the specific binding sites in the brain of juvenile pigs for [(18)F]NS10743, a novel diazabicyclononane derivative targeting α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7 nAChRs).

METHODS

Dynamic PET recordings were made in isoflurane-anaesthetized juvenile pigs during 120 min after administration of [(18)F]NS10743 under baseline conditions (n = 3) and after blocking of the α7 nAChR with NS6740 (3 mg·kg(-1) bolus + 1 mg·kg(-1)·h(-1) continuous infusion; n = 3). Arterial plasma samples were collected for determining the input function of the unmetabolized tracer. Kinetic analysis of regional brain time-radioactivity curves was performed, and parametric maps were calculated relative to arterial input.

RESULTS

Plasma [(18)F]NS10743 passed readily into the brain, with peak uptake occurring in α7 nAChR-expressing brain regions such as the colliculi, thalamus, temporal lobe and hippocampus. The highest SUV(max) was approximately 2.3, whereas the lowest uptake was in the olfactory bulb (SUV(max) 1.53 ± 0.32). Administration of NS6740 significantly decreased [(18)F]NS10743 binding late in the emission recording throughout the brain, except in the olfactory bulb, which was therefore chosen as reference region for calculation of BP(ND). The baseline BP(ND) ranged from 0.39 ± 0.08 in the cerebellum to 0.76 ± 0.07 in the temporal lobe. Pretreatment and constant infusion with NS6740 significantly reduced the BP(ND) in regions with high [(18)F]NS10743 binding (temporal lobe -29%, p = 0.01; midbrain: -35%, p = 0.02), without significantly altering the BP(ND) in low binding regions (cerebellum: -16%, p = 0.2).

CONCLUSION

This study confirms the potential of [(18)F]NS10743 as a target-specific radiotracer for the molecular imaging of central α7 nAChRs by PET.

Elevated [(18)F]FDOPA utilization in the periaqueductal gray and medial nucleus accumbens of patients with early Parkinson's disease

PET studies with the DOPA decarboxylase substrate 6-[(18)F]fluoro-l-DOPA (FDOPA) reveal the storage of [(18)F]-fluorodopamine within synaptic vesicles, mainly of dopamine fibres. As such, FDOPA PET is a sensitive indicator of the integrity of the nigrostriatal dopamine innervation. Nonetheless, there have been several reports of focal elevations of FDOPA utilization in brain of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), all based on reference tissue methods. To investigate this phenomenon further, we used voxel-wise steady-state kinetic analysis to search for regions of elevated FDOPA utilization (K; ml g(-1) min(-1)) and steady-state trapping (V(d); ml g(-1)) in a group of well-characterized patients with early, asymmetric PD, who were contrasted with an age-matched control group. Subtraction of the population mean parametric maps revealed foci of increased FDOPA utilization K (+25%) in the bilateral medial nucleus accumbens, whereas the expected declines in the trapping of FDOPA were seen in the caudate and putamen. This observation suggests hyperfunction of catecholamine fibres innervating specifically the limbic striatum, which could guide the design of future prospective FDOPA-PET studies of the impulse control disorders occurring in some PD patients under treatment with dopamine agonists. A focus of increased FDOPA influx and also V(d) was detected in the periaqueductal grey, consistent with some earlier reports based on reference tissue analysis. Increased FDOPA trapping in the periaqueductal grey of PD patients seems consistent with recent reports of increased activity of serotonin neurons in a rat model of parkinsonism.

Peripheral metabolism of [(18)F]FDDNP and cerebral uptake of its labelled metabolites

[(18)F]FDDNP is a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for determining amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain in vivo. In order to quantify binding of this tracer properly, a metabolite-corrected plasma input function is required. The purpose of the present study was to develop a sensitive method for measuring [(18)F]FDDNP and its radiolabelled metabolites in plasma. The second aim was to assess whether these radiolabelled metabolites enter the brain. In humans, there was extensive metabolism of [(18)F]FDDNP. After 10 min, more than 80% of plasma radioactivity was identified as polar (18)F-labelled fragments, probably formed from N-dealkylation of [(18)F]FDDNP. These labelled metabolites were reproduced in vitro using human hepatocytes. PET studies in rats showed that these polar metabolites can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and result in uniform brain uptake.

Age-dependent decline of steady state dopamine storage capacity of human brain: an FDOPA PET study

Conventional indices of the utilization of FDOPA in living human brain have not consistently revealed important declines in dopamine function with normal aging. However, most methods of kinetic analysis have assumed irreversible trapping of decarboxylated FDOPA metabolites in brain, an assumption that is violated even in PET recordings of short duration. Therefore, we have developed methods for the calculation of steady-state storage of FDOPA together with its decarboxylated metabolites (V(d), mlg(-1)), based upon improved kinetic analysis of 120-min emission recordings. In a group of 28 normal male subjects, of age ranging from 23 to 73 years, the magnitude of V(d) in the striatum and in extrastriatal regions declined by approximately 10% with each decade. The utilization of FDOPA was also calculated by several conventional methods assuming irreversible trapping, i.e. the net blood brain clearance (K(in)(app), mlg(-1)min(-1)), the DOPA decarboxylase activity relative to a reference tissue input (k(3)(S), min(-1)), and relative to the arterial input (k(3)(D), min(-1)). None of these methods revealed an age-related decline in FDOPA utilization in the extended striatum, although the magnitude of K(in)(app) did decline in cerebral cortex. Thus, the capacity to synthesize [(18)F]fluorodopamine remained largely intact in striatum of the elderly subjects, but in the presence of a substantially increased rate of washout (k(loss)), which was evident in all brain regions examined. Consequently, the magnitude of V(d) declined with healthy aging, possibly reflecting impaired vesicular storage capacity, resulting in enhanced exposure of cytosolic [(18)F]fluorodopamine to monoamine oxidase.

Quantification of [11C]GB67 binding to cardiac alpha1-adrenoceptors with positron emission tomography: validation in pigs

INTRODUCTION

An increase in human cardiac alpha(1)-adrenoceptor (alpha(1)-AR) density is associated with various diseases such as myocardial ischemia, congestive heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hypertension. Positron emission tomography (PET) with an appropriate radioligand offers the possibility of imaging receptor function in the normal and diseased heart. [(11)C]GB67, an analogue of prazosin, has been shown in rats to have potential as a PET ligand with high selectivity to alpha(1)-AR. However, alpha(1)-AR density is up to ten times higher in rat heart compared to that in man. The aim of the present preclinical study was to extend the previous evaluation to a large mammal heart, where the alpha(1)-AR density is comparable to man, and to validate a method for quantification before PET studies in man.

METHODS

Seven [(11)C]GB67 PET studies, with weight-adjusted target dose of either 5.29 MBq kg(-1) (pilot, test-retest and baseline-predose studies) or 8.22 MBq kg(-1) (baseline-displacement studies), were performed in four anaesthetised pigs (39.5 +/- 3.9 kg). Total myocardial volume of distribution (V (T)) was estimated under different pharmacological conditions using compartmental analysis with a radiolabelled metabolite-corrected arterial plasma input function. A maximum possible blocking dose of 0.12 mumol kg(-1) of unlabeled GB67 was given 20 min before [(11)C]GB67 administration in the predose study and 45 min after administration of [(11)C]GB67 in the displacement study. In addition, [(15)O]CO (3,000 MBq) and [(15)O]H(2)O, with weight adjusted target dose of 10.57 MBq kg(-1), were also administered for estimation of blood volume recovery (RC) of the left ventricular cavity and myocardial perfusion (MBF), respectively.

RESULTS

[(11)C]GB67 V (T) values (in ml cm(-3)) were estimated to be 24.2 +/- 5.5 (range, 17.3-31.3), 10.1 (predose) and 11.6 (displacement). MBF did not differ within each pig, including between baseline and predose conditions. Predose and displacement studies showed that specific binding of [(11)C]GB67 to myocardial alpha(1)-ARs accounts for approximately 50% of V (T).

CONCLUSION

The present study offers a methodology for using [(11)C]GB67 as a radioligand to quantify human myocardial alpha(1)-ARs in clinical PET studies.

Ratio of dopamine synthesis capacity to D2 receptor availability in ventral striatum correlates with central processing of affective stimuli

PURPOSE

Dopaminergic neurotransmission in the ventral striatum may interact with limbic processing of affective stimuli, whereas dorsal striatal dopaminergic neurotransmission can affect habitual processing of emotionally salient stimuli in the pre-frontal cortex. We investigated the dopaminergic neurotransmission in the ventral and dorsal striatum with respect to central processing of affective stimuli in healthy subjects.

METHODS

Subjects were investigated with positron emission tomography and [(18)F]DOPA for measurements of dopamine synthesis capacity and [(18)F]DMFP for estimation of dopamine D2 receptor binding potential. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response to affective pictures, which was correlated with the ratio of [(18)F]DOPA net influx constant K(app)(in)/[(18)F]DMFP-binding potential (BP_ND) in the ventral and dorsal striatum.

RESULTS

The magnitude of the ratio in the ventral striatum was positively correlated with BOLD signal increases elicited by negative versus neutral pictures in the right medial frontal gyrus (BA10), right inferior parietal lobe and left post-central gyrus. In the dorsal striatum, the ratio was positively correlated with BOLD signal activation elicited by negative versus neutral stimuli in the left post-central gyrus. The BOLD signal elicited by positive versus neutral stimuli in the superior parietal gyrus was positively correlated with the dorsal and ventral striatal ratio.

CONCLUSIONS

The correlations of the ratio in the ventral and dorsal striatum with processing of affective stimuli in the named cortical regions support the hypothesis that dopamine transmission in functional divisions of the striatum modulates processing of affective stimuli in specific cortical areas.

Baseline [18F]-FDOPA kinetics are predictive of haloperidol-induced changes in dopamine turnover and cognitive performance: A positron emission tomography study in healthy subjects

The telencephalic dopamine innervations contribute to the modulation of cognitive processing. However, the relationship between cognitive effects of D(2/3)-receptor antagonism and dopamine transmission is not described in healthy subjects. We therefore tested effects of acute haloperidol (5 mg/d over 3 days) on continuous performance task (CPT) performance and 6-[(18)F]-fluoro-l-DOPA (FDOPA) PET parameters. Nine physically and mentally healthy male men performed two FDOPA-PET scans including arterial plasma withdrawal. Over 3 days before the second scan, all subjects were treated with 5 mg/d haloperidol orally. Using our novel steady-state analysis, we calculated the intrinsic rate of the cerebral FDOPA utilization (K), the turnover of [(18)F]fluorodopamine formed in brain (k(loss)) and the storage for FDOPA and its brain metabolites (V(d)). Furthermore, a ds-CPT and EPS-screening was performed before every PET scan. We found that FDOPA kinetics in those normal subjects with relatively high baseline K showed a more pronounced sensitivity to haloperidol treatment, manifesting in reduced storage capacity and elevated turnover of [(18)F]fluorodopamine, whereas subjects with lower K showed the opposite pattern of responses. Furthermore, low baseline K predicted improvements in the CPT task after haloperidol, whereas participants with higher baseline K showed a decline in cognitive performance. We conclude that the initial increase of [(18)F]fluorodopamine turnover after acute haloperidol challenge is associated with an over-stimulation in individuals with initially more pharmacologically responsive dopamine systems, but optimizes cognitive performance in those with lower normal FDOPA utilization at baseline. We hypothesize that these effects may be driven by D(1)-receptor mediated transmission during D(2) blockade.

'Prefrontal' cognitive performance of healthy subjects positively correlates with cerebral FDOPA influx: an exploratory [18F]-fluoro-L-DOPA-PET investigation

Dopamine neurotransmission influences those cognitive processes, which are generally regarded as prefrontal cortical functions. In previous positron-emission-tomography (PET) studies, net blood-brain clearance of [18F]-fluoro-l-DOPA (FDOPA) correlated with impaired cognitive performance in patients with Parkinson's disease or schizophrenia. We hypothesized that FDOPA influx also correlates with performance of cognitive tasks associated with prefrontal functioning in healthy volunteers. The net blood-brain clearance of FDOPA (K(in)(app)) was mapped in a group of 11 healthy volunteers and calculated in striatal volumes-of-interest. The Wisconsin-Card-Sorting-Test (WCST), Stroop-Test, Trail-Making-Test (TMT-A/B), and Continuous-Performance-Test (CPT-M) had been administered previously to the same subjects. No correlation of K(in) (app) with perseverative errors in WCST or age could be found. However, there were significant positive correlations between the magnitude of K(in)(app) in caudate nucleus, putamen, and midbrain with performance of the TMT-B, CPT-M, and the Stroop test. Highest correlations were found between the time needed to perform the Stroop interference task and the K(in)(app) of striatal areas (Caudate nucleus: -0.780, P = 0.005; putamen: -0.870, P < 0. 001). Thus, the present findings reveal a strong correlation between dopamine synthesis capacity in striatum of healthy volunteers and performance of cognitive tasks linked to the prefrontal cortex.

Estimating neurotransmitter kinetics with ntPET: a simulation study of temporal precision and effects of biased data

We recently introduced neurotransmitter PET (ntPET), an analysis technique that estimates the kinetics of stimulus-induced neurotransmitter (NT) release. Here, we evaluate two formulations of ntPET. The arterial (ART) approach measures the tracer input function (TIF) directly. The reference (REF) approach derives the TIF from reference region data. Arterial sampling is considered the gold standard in PET modeling but reference region approaches are preferred for reduced cost and complexity. If simulated PET data with unbiased TIFs were analyzed using ART or REF, temporal precision was better than 3 min provided NT concentration peaked less than 30 min into the scanning session. The consequences of biased TIFs or stimulus-induced changes in tracer delivery were also evaluated. ART TIFs were biased by the presence of uncorrected radiometabolites in the plasma whereas REF TIFs were biased by specific binding in the reference region. Simulated changes in tracer delivery emulated ethanol-induced blood flow alterations observed previously with PET. ART performance deteriorated significantly if metabolites amounted to 50% of plasma radioactivity by 60 min. The accuracy and precision of REF were preserved even if the reference region contained 40% of the receptor density of the target region. Both methods were insensitive to blood flow alterations (proportional changes in K(1) and k(2)). Our results suggest that PET data contain information--heretofore not extracted--about the timing of NT release. The REF formulation of ntPET proved to be robust to many plausible model violations and under most circumstances is an appropriate alternative to ART.

Elevated [18F]fluorodopamine turnover in brain of patients with schizophrenia: an [18F]fluorodopa/positron emission tomography study

Previous positron emission tomography (PET) studies with levodopa analogs have revealed a modestly increased capacity for dopamine synthesis in the striatum of patients with schizophrenia compared with healthy age-matched control subjects. We hypothesized that not just the synthesis but also the turnover of radiolabeled dopamine is elevated in patients. To test the hypothesis, we reanalyzed 2-h-long [18F]fluorodopa (FDOPA)/PET recordings from eight unmedicated patients with schizophrenia and 15 healthy age-matched control subjects, using new methods for the quantification of [18F]fluorodopamine steady-state kinetics. The fractional rate constant for the catabolism and elimination of [18F]fluorodopamine was elevated nearly twofold in striatum, the largest biochemical difference in brain of schizophrenics yet reported. The magnitude of the intrinsic blood-brain FDOPA clearance with correction for this loss of [18F]fluorodopamine metabolites was increased by 20% in caudate and putamen and by 50% in amygdala and midbrain of the patients. However, the magnitude of the steady-state storage of FDOPA and its decarboxylated metabolites (V(d)) was reduced by one-third in the caudate nucleus and amygdala of the schizophrenic group. Thus, reduced steady-state storage of [18F]fluorodopamine occurs in the midst of accelerated synthesis in brain of untreated patients. Positive scores of the positive and negative syndrome scale correlated inversely with the magnitude of V(d) in amygdala, suggesting an association between positive symptoms and impaired steady-state storage of FDOPA metabolites in that structure.

Synthesis, radiolabeling and in vivo evaluation of [11C]RAL-01, a potential phosphodiesterase 5 radioligand

Very few tracers are available for imaging studies of second messenger systems. We developed a radiosynthesis for the phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 inhibitor [(11)C]RAL-01. Whole body distribution studies using positron emission tomography (PET) revealed a time-dependant passage through the liver and accumulation of radioactivity in the bile of the Landrace pig. Displaceable binding was readily discerned in the myocardium, and traces of binding were seen in pulmonary tissue, consistent with the use of this class of drug in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension and heart failure. [(11)C]RAL-01 readily entered the brain and obtained an equilibrium distribution volume of 4-5 ml g(-1). Mean parametric images suggested the presence of a small displaceable binding component, but this binding was not significant in the present group of three pigs. Thus, [(11)C]RAL-01 shows considerable promise for PET studies of biliary elimination and of PDE5 binding in the cardiovascular system. However, analogues of higher affinity may be required for investigations of central nervous system binding sites.

Net influx of plasma 6-[18F]fluoro-L-DOPA (FDOPA) to the ventral striatum correlates with prefrontal processing of affective stimuli

Dopaminergic neurotransmission in the ventral and dorsal striatum interact with central processing of rewarding and reward-indicating stimuli, and may affect frontocortical-striatal-thalamic circuits regulating goal-directed behaviour. Thirteen healthy male volunteers were investigated with multimodal imaging, using the radioligand 6-[(18)F]fluoro-l-DOPA (FDOPA) for positron emission tomography (PET) measurements of dopamine synthesis capacity, and also functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a cognitive activation paradigm. We calculated the correlation between FDOPA net blood-brain influx (; ml/g/min) in the ventral and associative dorsal striatum and BOLD signal changes elicited by standardized affectively positive, negative and neutral visual stimuli. The magnitude of in the ventral striatum was positively correlated with BOLD signal increases in the left anterior cingulate cortex and right insular operculum elicited by positive vs. neutral stimuli, but not negative vs. neutral stimuli. In the dorsal striatum, the magnitude of was positively correlated with processing of positive and negative stimuli in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that dopamine synthesis capacity in the ventral striatum correlates with the attentional processing of rewarding positive stimuli in the anterior cingulate cortex of healthy subjects. Dopaminergic neurotransmission in the associative dorsal striatum has been associated previously with habit learning. The observed correlation between dopamine synthesis capacity in the dorsal striatum and BOLD signal changes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex suggests dopaminergic modulation of processing of emotional stimuli in brain areas associated with motor planning and executive behaviour control.

PET neuroimaging of [11C]mirtazapine enantiomers in pigs

Previously, we used positron emission tomography (PET) for studying the pharmacokinetics of rac-[11C]mirtazapine in living brain. Our findings showed that rac-[11C]mirtazapine has suitable properties for PET neuroimaging. However, separate studies of enantiomers are typically required for characterizing the pharmacokinetics of a racemic drug. Therefore, we have determined the whole-body distribution and brain pharmacokinetics of S- and R-[11C]mirtazapine in pigs. The enantiomers of [11C]mirtazapine produced similar effective doses of radioactivity in most body organs, except for the brain, in which the dose was approximately 40% higher after injection of S-[11C]mirtazapine than the antipode. Kinetic analyses of dynamic brain PET recordings showed that values for regional accumulation of compound (k3) were significantly higher for S-[11C]mirtazapine than for the antipode, while the values for clearance of compounds from tissue to circulation (k2) were consistently lower for S-[11C]mirtazapine than for the R-form. No reliable difference occurred in the rate of metabolism of S- and R-[11C]mirtazapine in the bloodstream of the pigs. The present findings indicate that enantioselective processes affect the cerebral pharmacokinetics of rac-mirtazapine.

Distribution of PK11195 binding sites in porcine brain studied by autoradiography in vitro and by positron emission tomography

The cerebral distribution of peripheral-type benzodiazepine binding sites (PBBS) in human brain has been investigated by positron emission tomography (PET) with the specific radioligand [11C]PK11195 in diverse neuropathological conditions. However, little is known about the pattern of PK11195 binding sites in healthy brain. Therefore, we used quantitative autoradiography to measure the saturation binding parameters for [3H]PK11195 in cryostat sections from young Landrace pigs. Specific binding was lowest in the cerebellar white matter (85 fmol mg(-1)) and highest in the caudate nucleus (370 fmol mg(-1)), superior colliculus (400 fmol mg(-1)), and anterior thalamic nucleus (588 fmol mg(-1)). The apparent affinity was in the range of 2-6 nM in vitro, predicting high specific binding in PET studies of living brain. However, the distribution volume (V(d), ml g(-1)) of high specific activity [11C]PK11195 was nearly homogeneous (3 ml g(-1)) throughout brain of healthy Landrace pigs, and was nearly identical in studies with lower specific activity, suggesting that factors in vivo disfavor the detection of PBBS in Landrace pigs with this radioligand. In young, adult Göttingen minipig brain, the magnitude of V(d) for [11C]PK11195 was in the range 5-10 ml g(-1), and had a heterogeneous distribution resembling the in vitro findings in Landrace pigs. There was a trend toward globally increased V(d) in a group of minipigs with acute MPTP-induced parkinsonism, but no increase in V(d) was evident in the same pigs rescanned at 2 weeks after grafting of fetal mesencephalon to the partially denervated striatum. Thus, [11C]PK11195 binding was not highly sensitive to constituitively expressed PBBS in brain of young Landrace pigs, and did not clearly demonstrate the expected microglial activation in the MPTP/xenograft model of minipigs.

Quantitative autoradiography of ligands for dopamine receptors and transporters in brain of Göttingen minipig: comparison with results in vivo

The pig has been used as animal model for positron emission tomography (PET) studies of dopamine (DA) receptors and pharmacological perturbations of DA neurotransmission. However, the binding properties of DA receptors and transporters in pig brain have not been characterized in vitro. Therefore, the saturation binding parameters of [3H]SCH 23390 for DA D1 receptors and [3H]raclopride for DA D2/3 receptors were measured by quantitative autoradiography in cryostat sections from brain of groups of 8 week old and adult female Göttingen minipigs. The magnitudes of Bmax and Kd for these ligands were similar in young and old pigs, and were close to those reported for rat and human brain. Furthermore, gradients in the concentrations of D1 and D2/3 sites in striatum measured in vitro agreed with earlier findings in PET studies. However, the dopamine transporter (DAT) ligand [3H]GBR12935 did not bind in pig brain cryostat sections. Whereas the tropane derivative [125I]RTI-55 labeled serotonin transporters (serotonin transporter (SERT)) in pig brain, use of the same ligand under conditions specific for DAT, revealed a pattern of binding similar to that observed for SERT conditions. Parallel studies revealed the presence of DAT in rat and ferret brain. The distribution volume (Vd) of the selective DAT ligand [11C]NS2214 ([11C]Brasofensine) was mapped in groups of normal and MPTP-lesioned Göttingen miniature pigs. The in vivo pattern of Vd matched the distribution of SERT in vitro, and did not differ between the normal pigs and the lesioned animals with documented 60% DA depletions. However, the pattern of specific binding of the selective noradrenaline transporter ligand (S,S)-[11C]MeNER in a single Landrace pig showed that, of the three monoamine transporters, only DAT could not be detected in pig brain. We conclude that the pig is a suitable model for PET studies of DA D1 and D2/3 binding sites, which are fully developed on the eighth postnatal week. However, well-characterized piperazine and tropane radioligands failed to recognize DAT in pig brain; the two tropane radioligands lacked pharmacological specificity for DAT and SERT in pig brain in vitro and in vivo.

Dopamine storage capacity in caudate and putamen of patients with early Parkinson's disease: correlation with asymmetry of motor symptoms

Conventional graphical analysis of positron emission tomography (PET) recordings of the cerebral uptake of the DOPA decarboxylase substrate [(18)F]fluorodopa (FDOPA) assumes irreversible trapping of [(18)F]fluorodopamine formed in the brain. However, 4-h long PET recordings allow the estimation of a rate constant for elimination of [(18)F]fluorodopamine from the brain (k(loss)), from which can be calculated an effective distribution volume (EDV(1)), which is an index of [(18)F]fluorodopamine storage capacity. We earlier developed a method employing 2-h long FDOPA recordings for the estimation of k(loss) and EDV, here defined as EDV(2). This method is based on subtraction of the calculated brain concentrations of the FDOPA metabolite O-methyl-FDOPA, rather than the subtraction of the entire radioactivity in a reference region. We now extend this method for the parametric mapping of these parameters in the brain of healthy aged volunteers and patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), with asymmetry of motor symptoms. For parametric mapping, we use a novel application of a multilinear solution for the two-tissue compartment FDOPA model. We also test a new application of the Logan graphical analysis for mapping of the FDOPA distribution volume at equilibrium. The estimates of k(loss) and EDV(2) were more sensitive for the discrimination of biochemical abnormality in the putamen of patients with early PD relative to healthy aged subjects, than was the conventional net influx estimate. Of the several methods, multilinear estimates of EDV(2) were most sensitive for discrimination of PD and normal putamen. However, k(loss) was most sensitive for detecting biochemical asymmetry in the putamen of PD patients, and only k(loss) also detected in the caudate of PD patients a decline in the retention of [(18)F]fluorodopamine relative to healthy aged control subjects.

Modulation of [18F]fluorodopa (FDOPA) kinetics in the brain of healthy volunteers after acute haloperidol challenge

In animal studies, acute antipsychotic treatment was shown to enhance striatal DOPA-decarboxylase (DDC) activity. However, this phenomenon has not been demonstrated in humans by positron emission tomography (PET). Therefore, we investigated acute haloperidol effects on DDC activity in humans using [18F]fluorodopa (FDOPA) PET. Nine healthy volunteers were scanned with FDOPA in drug-free baseline conditions and after 3 days of haloperidol treatment (5 mg/day). A continuous performance test (CPT) was administered in both conditions. The net blood-brain clearance of FDOPA (K(in)app) in striatum, mesencephalon, and medial prefrontal cortex was calculated by volume-of-interest analysis. The macroparameter K(in)app is a composite of several kinetic terms defining the distribution volume of FDOPA in brain (V(e)D) and the relative activity of DOPA decarboxylase (k3D). Therefore, compartmental kinetic analysis was used to identify the physiological basis of the observed changes in K(in)app period. The magnitude of K(in)app was significantly increased in the putamen (18%) and mesencephalon (36%). Furthermore, V(e)D in the brain was increased by 15%. Increments of k3(D) in the basal ganglia did not attain statistical significance. The significant worsening of CPT results did not correlate with changes in FDOPA utilization. The present PET results indicate potentiation of FDOPA utilization in human basal ganglia by acute haloperidol treatment, apparently due to increased availability throughout the brain. The stimulation of DDC cannot be excluded due to insufficient statistical power in the estimation of k3(D) changes.

Inhibition of [11C]mirtazapine binding by α2-adrenoceptor antagonists studied by positron emission tomography in living porcine brain

We have developed [(11)C]mirtazapine as a ligand for PET studies of antidepressant binding in living brain. However, previous studies have determined neither optimal methods for quantification of [(11)C]mirtazapine binding nor the pharmacological identity of this binding. To obtain that information, we have now mapped the distribution volume (V(d)) of [(11)C]mirtazapine relative to the arterial input in the brain of three pigs, in a baseline condition and after pretreatment with excess cold mirtazapine (3 mg/kg). Baseline V(d) ranged from 6 ml/ml in cerebellum to 18 ml/ml in frontal cortex, with some evidence for a small self-displaceable binding component in the cerebellum. Regional binding potentials (pBs) obtained by a constrained two-compartment model, using the V(d) observation in cerebellum, were consistently higher than pBs obtained by other arterial input or reference tissue methods. We found that adequate quantification of pB was obtained using the simplified reference tissue method. Concomitant PET studies with [(15)O]-water indicated that mirtazapine challenge increased CBF uniformly in cerebellum and other brain regions, supporting the use of this reference tissue for calculation of [(11)C]mirtazapine pB. Displacement by mirtazapine was complete in the cerebral cortex, but only 50% in diencephalon, suggesting the presence of multiple binding sites of differing affinities in that tissue. Competition studies with yohimbine and RX 821002 showed decreases in [(11)C]mirtazapine pB throughout the forebrain; use of the multireceptor version of the Michaelis-Menten equation indicated that 42% of [(11)C]mirtazapine binding in cortical regions is displaceable by yohimbine. Thus, PET studies confirm that [(11)C]mirtazapine affects alpha(2)-adrenoceptor binding sites in living brain.

PET studies of net blood-brain clearance of FDOPA to human brain: age-dependent decline of [18F]fluorodopamine storage capacity

Conventional methods for the graphical analysis of 6-[(18)F]fluorodopa (FDOPA)/positron emission tomography (PET) recordings (K(in)(app)) may be prone to negative bias because of oversubtraction of the precursor pool in the region of interest, and because of diffusion of decarboxylated FDOPA metabolites from the brain. These effects may reduce the sensitivity of FDOPA/PET for the detection of age-related changes in dopamine innervations. To test for these biasing effects, we have used a constrained compartmental analysis to calculate the brain concentrations of the plasma metabolite 3-O-methyl-FDOPA (OMFD) during 120 mins of FDOPA circulation in healthy young, healthy elderly, and Parkinson's disease subjects. Calculated brain OMFD concentrations were subtracted frame-by-frame from the dynamic PET recordings, and maps of the FDOPA net influx to brain were calculated assuming irreversible trapping (K(app)). Comparison of K(in)(app) and K(app) maps revealed a global negative bias in the conventional estimates of FDOPA clearance. The present OMFD subtraction method revealed curvature in plots of K(app) at early times, making possible the calculation of the corrected net influx (K) and also the rate constant for diffusion of decarboxylated metabolites from the brain (k(loss)). The effective distribution volume (EDV(2); K/k(loss)) for FDOPA, an index of dopamine storage capacity in brain, was reduced by 85% in putamen of patients with Parkinson's disease, and by 58% in the healthy elderly relative to the healthy young control subjects. Results of the present study support claims that storage capacity for dopamine in both caudate and putamen is more profoundly impaired in patients with Parkinson's disease than is the capacity for DOPA utilization, calculated by conventional FDOPA net influx plots. The present results furthermore constitute the first demonstration of an abnormality in the cerebral utilization of FDOPA in caudate and putamen as a function of normal aging, which we attribute to loss of vesicular storage capacity.

PET evaluation of the uptake of N-[11C]methyl CP-643,051, an NK1 receptor antagonist, in the living porcine brain

Antagonists of neurokinin receptors such as CP-643,051 are presently under investigation as potential antidepressants, but little is known about the brain uptake and distribution of these agents. We developed a method for the efficient N-[11C]methylation of CP-122,721, yielding the NK1 antagonist N-[11C]methyl CP-643,051. The brain uptake and distribution of N-[11C]methyl CP-643,051 were studied by positron emission tomography (PET) in the anaesthetized pig, first in a baseline condition, and again after displacement of specific binding with the NK1 receptor antagonist L-732,138 (0.6 mg/kg, i.v.). In order to validate this displacement procedure, we tested the effects of L-732,138 on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in one pig. We found that N-[11C]methyl CP-643,051 had a distribution volume close to 3 ml g(-1), and a binding potential (pB) of 0.3 in the pig striatum; this binding was displaceable by the L-732,138 pre-treatment, which evoked a small (10-20%) global increase in CBF. We conclude that of N-[11C]methyl CP-643,051 may serve as a lead structure for the development of PET NK-1 ligands of higher specific binding in vivo.

MDMA-evoked changes in [11C]raclopride and [11C]NMSP binding in living pig brain

Positron emission tomography (PET) studies with radiolabeled dopamine D2-like receptor ligands reveal d-amphetamine-evoked increases in the competition from endogenous dopamine. However, the corresponding effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy"), which releases catecholamines and also serotonin, are unknown. Using PET, we measured the binding potentials (pBs) of the benzamide [11C]raclopride and the butyrophenone N-[11C]methylspiperone ([11C]NMSP) in brain of living pigs first in a baseline condition and at 45 and 165 min after infusion of (+/-)-MDMA-HCl (1 mg/kg, i.v.). Concomitant studies of cerebral blood flow did not reveal significant perfusion changes in the cerebellum reference region or in striatum, supporting the present use of reference tissue methods for the mapping of MDMA-evoked pB changes. Relative to the baseline pB of [11C]raclopride for dopamine D(2/3) receptors in striatum (pB = 1.5-2.2), MDMA-treatment reduced pB by 35% in the first posttreatment scan and by 22% in the second posttreatment scan, comparable to changes typically evoked by d-amphetamine at a similar dose. In most previous studies, the in vivo binding of butyrophenones has been nearly insensitive to d-amphetamine-evoked dopamine release. However, we found the baseline pB of [11C]NMSP for dopamine D2-like receptors in striatum (pB = 4-5) was decreased by 30% in the first post-MDMA scan and by 50% in the second post-MDMA scan, irrespective of assumptions about the extent of equilibrium binding attained during the 90-min-long PET recordings. Distinct properties of MDMA such as simultaneous release of dopamine and serotonin in brain may account for the present finding of progressive decline in the availability of [11C]NMSP binding sites in striatum.

Gradients of dopamine D1- and D2/3-binding sites in the basal ganglia of pig and monkey measured by PET

The distributions of dopamine D1 and D2/3 binding sites in living brain have not been compared directly using positron emission tomography (PET). To map these binding sites, we first optimized methods for the assay of dopamine receptors in brain of Göttingen miniature pigs. The binding potentials (pB) of [11C]NNC 112 for dopamine D1 receptors and [11C]raclopride for dopamine D2/3 receptors were calculated in pig striatum volumes of interest using metabolite corrected arterial inputs or using cerebellum as a non-binding reference region. Depending upon the method for quantitation, the pB for [11C]NNC 112 was 1.2-5.1 in pig striatum, whereas the pB for [11C]raclopride was 1.0-1.8. We used the reference tissue method of Logan to calculate pB maps for the two tracers. The maps were co-registered to the common stereotaxic space for the pig brain and normalized to a global mean for pB in striatum; t-maps showed that dopamine D1 binding was relatively more abundant in the ventral-anterior striatum of the pig, while dopamine D2/3 binding was greater in the dorsal striatum. Similar comparisons were made for the pBs of [11C]Sch 23390 for dopamine D1 receptors and for [11C]raclopride in the brain of six rhesus monkeys. The magnitudes of pB for both binding sites in monkey brain were close to those in the pig. Consistent with the pig results, there were distinct gradients in the distributions of the two binding sites in monkey brain: D1 binding predominated in the ventral striatum, whereas D2/3 binding was relatively greater in the dorsal-posterior striatum. Gradients of dopamine receptor concentration within the striatum may be a general phenomenon of mammalian brain.

Levodopa effect on [18F]fluorodopa influx to brain: normal volunteers and patients with Parkinson's disease

OBJECTIVES

Levodopa is the immediate precursor of dopamine and the substrate for DOPA decarboxylase, an enzyme subject to regulation in living brain. To test whether this regulation changes in disease, we used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with parametric mapping to measure the effect of levodopa on the net clearance of [(18)F]fluorodopa to brain (K, ml/g/min).

METHODS

Five patients with early Parkinson's disease with pause of medication for 3 days and six age-matched healthy volunteers were studied in a baseline condition and after levodopa challenge.

RESULTS

Levodopa (200 mg as Sinemet) increased the magnitude of the net clearance K in the left and right putamen of the healthy volunteers by 11% relative to the baseline condition. In contrast, resumption of medication with levodopa did not significantly alter the magnitude of K in putamen of the Parkinson's disease patients. Compartmental analysis was used to probe the physiological basis of the activation of K: levodopa treatment increased by 15% the apparent distribution volume of [(18)F]fluorodopa in cerebellum (, ml/g) of both patients and control subjects, without significantly altering the unidirectional blood-brain clearance (, ml/g/min) or the relative activity of DOPA decarboxylase (, min(-1)) in putamen.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that levodopa treatment increases the distribution volume of [(18)F]fluorodopa in brain, increasing its availability for utilization in dopamine terminals. We speculate that levodopa act as a direct beta-adrenergic agonist at receptors regulating the permeability of the blood-brain barrier to levodopa. However, the PET analytical method was without sufficient power to detect the consequent increase in magnitude of K in brain of only five Parkinson's disease subjects.

[11C]-NS 4194 versus [11C]-DASB for PET imaging of serotonin transporters in living porcine brain

In vitro, the novel diazabicyclononane NS 4194 has several thousand-fold selectivity for blocking the transport into rat brain synaptosomes of [(3)H]-serotonin in comparison to [(3)H]-dopamine or [(3)H]-noradrenaline. We have prepared [(11)C]-NS 4194 in order to test its properties for PET imaging of brain serotonin transporters in comparison with the well-documented tracer [(11)C]-DASB. Both compounds had rapid clearance from blood to brain of living pigs. The apparent equilibrium distribution volumes in cerebellum were 35 ml g(-1) for [(11)C]-NS 4194 and 11 ml g(-1) for [(11)C]-DASB. Pretreatment of pigs with citalopram did not reduce the uptake of either tracer in cerebellum, validating the use of that tissue as a nonbinding reference tissue for kinetic analysis of specific binding. The binding potential (pB) calculated for [(11)C]-NS 4194 using arterial input models was close to 0.5 in the telencephalon, and was 60% displaced by citalopram. However, the reference tissue method of Lammertsma was unsuited to calculate pB for this tracer, apparently due to its excessive nonspecific binding. In contrast to the relatively homogeneous binding of [(11)C]-NS 4194, the pB of [(11)C]-DASB ranged from 0.6 in frontal cortex to 2 in the mesencephalon when calculated by the method of Lammertsma. Parametric maps of the pB of [(11)C]-DASB showed a pattern consistent with the known distribution of serotonin transporters in pig brain in vitro, and there was a uniform displacement of 80% of the specific binding after citalopram treatment in vivo. In conclusion, [(11)C]-DASB is in several respects superior to [(11)C]-NS 4194 for the detection of serotonin uptake sites by PET.

Kinetics of the uptake and distribution of the dopamine D(2,3) agonist (R)-N-[1-(11)C]n-propylnorapomorphine in brain of healthy and MPTP-treated Göttingen miniature pigs

The binding of radioligand agonists to dopamine receptors in living brain can be informative about the abundance of receptors which are coupled to intracellular second messenger systems. Therefore, we developed a radiosynthesis for the dopamine D(2,3) partial agonist (R)-N- [1-(11)C]n-propylnorapomorphine ([(11)C]NPA). The uptake of this tracer in brain of anesthetized Göttingen miniature pigs was recorded by positron emission tomography (PET) and analyzed by compartmental analysis using the metabolite-corrected arterial input, and using reference tissue methods. [(11)C]NPA had a blood-brain unidirectional clearance of approximately 0.35 ml g(-1) min(-1) and an apparent distribution volume of 6 ml g(-1) in cerebellum. The ligand had a binding potential of 1.5 in striatum, comparable to that reported previously for the receptor antagonist [(11)C]raclopride in the same strain of animals. Significant binding was detected in the hypophysis, thalamus, and medial forebrain bundle. The binding in striatum was of comparable magnitude in normal pigs and in pigs with a documented 50% dopamine depletion produced by MPTP-intoxication. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamus was without conspicuous effect on the binding of [(11)C]NPA in vivo. Results of this preliminary study indicate that this tracer meets many requirements for assaying dopamine agonist binding sites by PET.

Loss of metabolites from monkey striatum during PET with FDOPA

The decarboxylation of 6-[(18)F]fluorodopa (FDOPA) and retention of the product [(18)F]fluorodopamine within vesicles of catecholamine fibers results in the labeling of dopamine-rich brain regions during FDOPA/PET studies. However, this metabolic trapping is not irreversible due to the eventual diffusion of [(18)F]fluorodopamine metabolites from brain. Consequently, time-radioactivity recordings of striatum are progressively influenced by metabolite loss. In linear analyses, the net blood-brain clearance of FDOPA (K(D)(i), ml g(-1) min(-1)) can be corrected for this loss by the elimination rate constant k(Lin)(cl) (min(-1)). Similarly, the DOPA decarboxylation rate constant (k(D)(3), min(-1)) calculated by compartmental analysis can also be corrected for metabolite loss by the elimination rate constant k(DA)(9) (min(-1)). To compare the two methods, we calculated the two elimination rate constants using data recorded during 240 min of FDOPA circulation in normal monkeys and in monkeys with unilateral 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) lesions. Use of the extended models increased the magnitudes of K(D)(i) and k(D)(3) in striatum; in the case of k(D)(3), variance of the estimate was substantially improved upon correction for metabolite loss. The rate constants for metabolite loss were higher in MPTP-lesioned monkey striatum than in normal striatum. The high correlation between individual estimates of k(Lin)(cl) and k(DA)(9) suggests that both rate constants reveal loss of decarboxylated metabolites from brain.