This study uses positron emission tomography imaging of the 18-kDa translocator protein to measure the brain's immune response to alcohol.
Alcohol Use Disorder affects nearly 14% of the population, accruing considerable cost to individual families and society. Much of this cost stems from alcohol's influence on the immune system. Alcohol impairs peripheral immune function, evidenced by increased susceptibility to infection related diseases such as liver cirrhosis and pancreatitis. The neuroimmune consequences of alcohol are subtler. Preclinically, alcohol triggers neuroimmune abnormalities that contribute to cognitive dysfunction, neurodegeneration, and alter alcohol drinking behaviors. Yet, limited experimental tools hamper translational efforts to study alcohol's effects on neuroimmune function in people. We propose to address this deficit by developing an innovative human imaging paradigm that measures neuroimmune response to alcohol.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
14
Subjects will drink an alcohol dose designed to achieve a BAL of 0.08
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Percent Change in [11C]PBR28 Distribution Volume After Alcohol Challenge.
This is the percent change in \[11C\]PBR28 distribution volume (V\_T) post-alcohol relative to baseline. This is calculated as \[V\_T(Post-Alcohol) - V\_T(Baseline)\]/V\_T(Baseline) As a percent change, it could range from -10% to 200%.
Time frame: The post-alcohol imaging scan start will begin between one and fours hours after the oral alcohol challenge is completed. The total scan time for each imaging scan is 120 minutes long.
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.