Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 26, 2026
A Thin-skull Window Technique for Chronic Two-photon In vivo Imaging of Murine Microglia in Models of Neuroinflammation
Published on: September 19, 2010
11C-PiB imaging of human immunodeficiency virus-associated neurocognitive disorder
Beau M Ances1, Tammie L Benzinger, Jon J Christensen
1Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 8111, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA. bances@wustl.edu
Objective:
To evaluate whether the amyloid-binding agent carbon 11-labeled Pittsburgh Compound B ((11)C-PiB) could differentiate Alzheimer disease (AD) from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) in middle-aged HIV-positive participants.
Design:
(11)C-PiB scanning, clinical assessment, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis were performed. Both χ(2) and t tests assessed differences in clinical and demographic variables between HIV-positive participants and community-living individuals observed at the Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC). Analysis of variance assessed for regional differences in amyloid-β protein 1-42 (Aβ42) using (11)C-PiB.
Setting:
An ADRC and HIV clinic.
Participants:
Sixteen HIV-positive participants (11 cognitively normal and 5 with HAND) and 19 ADRC participants (8 cognitively normal and 11 with symptomatic AD).
Main Outcome Measures:
Mean and regional (11)C-PiB binding potentials.
Results:
Participants with symptomatic AD were older (P < .001), had lower CSF Aβ42 levels (P < .001), and had higher CSF tau levels (P < .001) than other groups. Regardless of degree of impairment, HIV-positive participants did not have increased (11)C-PiB levels. Mean and regional binding potentials were elevated for symptomatic AD participants (P < .001).
Conclusions:
Middle-aged HIV-positive participants, even with HAND, do not exhibit increased (11)C-PiB levels, whereas symptomatic AD individuals have increased fibrillar Aβ42 deposition in cortical and subcortical regions. Observed dissimilarities between HAND and AD may reflect differences in Aβ42 metabolism. (11)C-PiB may provide a diagnostic biomarker for distinguishing symptomatic AD from HAND in middle-aged HIV-positive participants. Future cross-sectional and longitudinal studies are required to assess the utility of (11)C-PiB in older individuals with HAND.
