Metabolic changes in an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis evaluated by [18F]-FDG positron emission tomography

Perivascular Space Predicts Brain Hypometabolism of Individuals with Underlying Amyloid Pathology

Background: Reduced signal on fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is a valid proxy for neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Perivascular space (PVS) is believed to be associated with AD pathology and cognitive decline. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the associations of PVS with FDG-PET and cognitive performance based on the burden of amyloid pathology. Methods: We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). MRI-visible PVS in basal ganglia (BG) and centrum semi-oval (CSO) were visually classified as: none/mild, moderate or frequent/severe. The association of PVS with brain FDG-PET was explored based on the burden of amyloid pathology, where a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) t-tau/Aβ42 with the ratio≥0.27 was defined as high amyloid pathology. Moreover, the relationships between PVS and cognitive performance variables (ADNI-MEM and ADNI-EF) were studied. Results: For participants with higher tau/Aβ42 ratio, CSO-PVS severity was independently associated with lower FDG-PET. There were significant interaction effects between moderate or frequent/severe CSO-PVS and time on FDG decline in people with high amyloid pathology. The interaction between CSO-PVS and time (follow-up) was consistently associated with ADNI-MEM and ADNI-EF decline in individuals with high amyloid pathology. Conclusion: The study established the differential utility of PVS in BG and CSO for predicting brain metabolism. These findings suggest that CSO-PVS serves as a contributing factor to brain metabolism and cognitive decline associated with amyloid pathology.

The potential benefit of leptin therapy against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

BACKGROUND

Targeting leptin could represent a rational strategy to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as previously clinical studies have shown its levels to be associated with a lower risk of ALS disease. However, very little is known about the potential influence of leptin in altering disease progression in ALS, as it has thus far been correlated with the protection exerted by increased fat mass stores.

METHODS

We studied the impact of leptin treatment beginning at 42-days of age (asymptomatic stage of disease) in the TDP-43 (TDP43^A315T ) transgenic (Tg) ALS mouse model.

RESULTS

Our study shows that leptin treatment was associated with altered expression of adipokines and metabolic proteins in TDP43^A315T mice. We also observed that weight loss decline was less prominent after leptin treatment in TDP43^A315T mice relative to vehicle-treated animals. In TDP43^A315T mice treated with leptin the disease duration lasted longer along with an improvement in motor performance relative to vehicle-treated animals.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, our results support leptin as a potential novel treatment approach for ALS.