A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Upregulation of putaminal dopamine D-2 receptors in early Parkinson's disease: A comparative PET study with [C-11]raclopride and [C-11]N-methylspiperone




AuthorsKaasinen V, Ruottinen HM, Nagren K, Lehikoinen P, Oikonen T, Rinne JO

PublisherSOC NUCLEAR MEDICINE INC

Publication year2000

JournalJournal of Nuclear Medicine

Journal name in sourceJOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE

Journal acronymJ NUCL MED

Volume41

Issue1

First page 65

Last page70

Number of pages6

ISSN0161-5505


Abstract
Dopamine D-2 receptor function was assessed in a PET study with 2 dopamine D-2 receptor PET ligands, [C-11]raclopride (RAG) and [C-11]N-methylspiperone (NMSP), in early Parkinson's disease. Methods: Seven patients with early Parkinson's disease and 5 healthy volunteers were studied. Each underwent PET both with reversible [C-11]RAC and with irreversible [C-11]NMSP. Results: Upregulation of dopamine D-2 receptors in the putamen contralateral to the predominant symptoms of Parkinson's disease was confirmed using both [C-11]RAC and [C-11]NMSP. Uptake of [C-11]RAC in the contralateral putamen was 105% of uptake in the opposite putamen (P = 0.020). For [C-11]NMSP, uptake in the contralateral putamen was 105% of uptake in the ipsilateral putamen (P = 0.011). No significant differences between Parkinson's disease patients and healthy volunteers were detected in any of the studied brain regions using either [C-11]RAC or [C-11]NMSP. No significant differences between [C-11]RAC and [C-11]NMSP uptake were detected in the striatum, whereas in the extrastriatal regions, [C-11]NMSP showed significantly higher uptake than [C-11]RAC both in healthy volunteers and in Parkinson's disease patients. Conclusion: This study confirms an increase in dopamine D-2 receptors in the putamen contralateral to the predominant symptoms, compared with the ipsilateral putamen, in early Parkinson's disease. This increase was seen both with reversible ligand [C-11]RAC and with irreversible ligand [C-11]NMSP and thus does not seem a consequence of depleted endogenous dopamine.



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