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Related Experiment Videos

Molecular Imaging in Huntington's Disease.

Heather Wilson1, Marios Politis1

  • 1Neurodegeneration Imaging Group (NIG), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom.

International Review of Neurobiology
|November 10, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Huntington's disease (HD) research uses Positron Emission Tomography (PET) to detect early molecular changes in premanifest carriers. This helps understand neurodegeneration and find biomarkers for disease progression.

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Area of Science:

  • Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • Molecular Imaging
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene.
  • Mutated huntingtin accumulation leads to the loss of specific neurons, causing motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate early molecular changes in premanifest HD gene expansion carriers before symptom onset.
  • To elucidate HD pathophysiology and identify reliable biomarkers for disease progression.
  • To explore the utility of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in studying HD.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with selective radioligands for in vivo molecular target evaluation.
  • Examining specific systems including dopaminergic, metabolic, microglial activation, and various receptor systems (PDE10A, cannabinoid, GABA, adenosine, opioid).
Keywords:
Adenosine receptorsBrain metabolismCannabinoid receptorsDopaminergic imagingGABA receptorsHuntington's diseaseMicroglia activationOpioid receptorsPhosphodiesterasePositron emission tomography

Related Experiment Videos

  • Monitoring disease progression in premanifest HD carriers.

    • Main Results:

    • PET imaging allows non-invasive evaluation of molecular targets in the brain.
    • Various molecular targets, including neurotransmitter systems and inflammatory markers, can be assessed in vivo.
    • PET is being explored to identify biomarkers for predicting phenoconversion from premanifest to manifest HD.

    Conclusions:

    • Premanifest HD carriers offer a unique window into early disease mechanisms.
    • PET imaging is a valuable tool for investigating molecular changes in HD.
    • Identifying reliable PET-based biomarkers is crucial for predicting HD progression and phenoconversion.