Main description:

Imaging of the Dopaminergic system in the human brain with the in vivo use of Positron Emis- sion Tomography has emerged in the late 1980s as a tool of major importance in Clinical Neuros- ciences and Pharmacology. The last few years have witnessed the rapid development of new radiotracers specific to receptors, reuptake sites and enzymes of the dopamine system; the application of these radiotracers has led to major breakthroughs in the pathophysiology and therapy of movement disorders and schizophrenic-like psychoses. This book is the first to collect, in a single volume, state-of-the-art contributions to the various aspects of this research. Its contents address methodological issues related to the design, labelling, quantitative imaging and compartmental modelisation of radioligands of the post-synaptic, pre-synaptic and enzyme sites of the dopamine system and to their use in clinical research in the fields of Parkinson's disease as well as other movement disorders, psychoses and neuroleptic receptor occupancy.
The chapters were written by leading European scientists in the field of Positron Emission Tomography, gathered together in Caen (France, November 1990) under the aegis of the EEC Concerted Action on "PET Investigations of Cellular Regeneration and Degeneration. This book provides a current and comprehensive overview on PET studies of the brain dopamine system which should aid and interest neurologists, psychiatrists, pharmacologists and medical imaging scientists. J. C. Baron D. Comar L. Farde J. L. Martinot B. Mazoyer August 1991 ix LIST OF CONTRffiUTORS Dr Yves Agid DrL.

Contents:

1. Neuroanatomy of dopaminergic system in the human brain.- 2. Radioligands for PET studies of D2-receptors: butyrophenone and ergot derivatives.- 3. Radioligands for dopamine receptor PET studies: benzamides and ligands for dopamine D-1 receptors.- 4. Monoamine precursors in PET research - biochemical issues and functional significance.- 5. Quantitation problems in positron emission tomography (PET) as applied to the kinetic analysis of the striatum dopamine data.- 6. Investigation of the dopamine system with positron emission tomography: general issues in modeling.- 7. Modelisation: application to the D2 receptors.- 8. [18F] Fluorodopa uptake in brain.- 9. Dopamine reuptake sites: the issues.- 10. Movement disorders: the clinical issues.- 11. Non-human primate models of dopamine system disorders: understanding neurodegenerative diseases and testing new therapeutic strategies.- 12. The dopamine system and mental disorders: clinical and psychopharmacological overview.- 13. D2 dopamine receptors and schizophrenia.- 14. The assessment of central D2-dopanvne receptor occupancy with positron emission tomography in long-term medicated schizophrenic patients.- 15. Measurement of dopamine receptor occupancy: clinical issues.