Prospects and challenges of imaging neuroinflammation beyond TSPO in Alzheimer's disease.
Delphine BocheAlexander GerhardElena Rodriguez-Vieiteznull nullPublished in: European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging (2019)
Neuroinflammation, as defined by the activation of microglia and astrocytes, has emerged in the last years as a key element of the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases based on genetic findings and preclinical and human studies. This has raised the need for new methodologies to assess and follow glial activation in patients, prompting the development of PET ligands for molecular imaging of glial cells and novel structural MRI and DTI tools leading to a multimodal approach. The present review describes the recent advancements in microglia and astrocyte biology in the context of health, ageing, and Alzheimer's disease, the most common dementia worldwide. The review further delves in molecular imaging discussing the challenges associated with past and present targets, including conflicting findings, and finally, presenting novel methodologies currently explored to improve our in vivo knowledge of the neuroinflammatory patterns in Alzheimer's disease. With glial cell activation as a potential therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases, the translational research between cell biologists, chemists, physicists, radiologists, and neurologists should be strengthened.
Keyphrases
- neuropathic pain
- cognitive decline
- cell therapy
- healthcare
- cognitive impairment
- single cell
- end stage renal disease
- inflammatory response
- traumatic brain injury
- induced apoptosis
- mild cognitive impairment
- newly diagnosed
- magnetic resonance imaging
- lipopolysaccharide induced
- ejection fraction
- endothelial cells
- mental health
- computed tomography
- mesenchymal stem cells
- gene expression
- prognostic factors
- peritoneal dialysis
- multiple sclerosis
- cell proliferation
- oxidative stress
- chronic pain
- climate change
- photodynamic therapy
- social media
- human health