The purpose of this research is to use specialized brain imaging techniques, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), to learn more about the brain chemistry, e.g., how neurotransmitters and receptors in the brain function in people with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls.
Abnormalities in brain chemistry can be responsible for the hallucinations and delusions; thus, by treating these abnormalities, physicians can reduce symptoms of schizophrenia. In this study, investigators aim to examine the characteristics of two investigational radiotracers, \[18F\]AZAN and \[18F\]ASEM, in the brains of people with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Radiotracers are drugs in which one or more atoms are "labeled" with a small amount of radioactivity that allows investigators to see how the drug works in humans using PET and MRI brain imaging techniques.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
117
\[18F\]ASEM demonstrated excellent imaging properties, as was recently confirmed by others. \[18F\]ASEM is the 1st validated α7 human PET radiotracer to examine α7-nAChR characteristics in the living brain of SCZ patients. Previous α7 studies in the SCZ literature were done using brains harvested post-mortem, and under variable storage conditions. The proposed studies will also determine α4β2-nAChR \[18F\]AZAN binding characteristics in the same subjects who complete α7-nAChR PET studies with \[18F\]ASEM, which will be highly significant for understanding these receptors in SCZ.
The most widely used PET radioligand for human imaging of α4β2-nAChR is 2-\[18F\]FA. Because 2-\[18F\]FA exhibits very slow brain kinetics, the investigators developed \[18F\]AZAN, a highly α4β2 specific tracer with optimal brain kinetics. Therefore, the proposed studies will utilize \[18F\]AZAN to determine α4β2-nAChR \[18F\]AZAN binding characteristics in the same subjects who complete α7-nAChR PET studies with \[18F\]ASEM, which will be highly significant for understanding these receptors in SCZ.
Washington University School of Medicine
St Louis, Missouri, United States
Receptor binding of [18F] ASEM-PET to nicotinic brain receptors (α7-nAChRs) in adults ages 18-55 year with SCZ vs. matched controls.
The Primary Outcome Measure is volume of distribution (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) of alpha-7 nicotinic receptors (α7-nAChR) bound to by the \[18F\]ASEM radio tracer in the brain, comparing VT in people with SCZ with VT in otherwise healthy adults matched for all demographics (smoking status, age, sex, race/genotype, parental education).
Time frame: 60-74 days
Receptor binding of [18F]AZAN to α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α4β2-nAChR) in adults ages 18-55 years with SCZ vs. matched controls.
The Primary Outcome Measure is volume of distribution (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) of α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α4β2-nAChR) bound to by the \[18F\]AZAN radio tracer in the brain, comparing % receptor occupancy in people with SCZ with VT in otherwise healthy adults matched for all demographics (smoking status, age, sex, race/genotype, parental education).
Time frame: 60-74 days
Relationship between α7-nAChR receptor binding VT and negative symptoms in adult patients ages 18-55 yrs with SCZ.
The Primary Outcome Measure is the main effect of α7-nAChR receptor volume of distribution (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) on negative symptoms as measured by the negative symptom sub-scale of the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) in SCZ patients.
Time frame: 60-74 days
Relationship between α4β2-nAChR receptor binding VT and negative symptoms in adult patients ages 18-55 yrs with schizophrenia (SCZ).
The Primary Outcome Measure is the main effect of α4β2-nAChR volume of distribution (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) and the negative symptom sub-scale score of the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) in SCZ.
Time frame: 60-74 days
Relationship between α7-nAChR receptor binding VT and cognitive symptoms, as measured by the Stroop Color-Word Interference Test in SCZ vs. matched controls.
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The Primary Outcome Measure is the comparison of the main effect of receptor volume of distribution (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) on the Stroop Color-Word Interference Task score in SCZ vs. matched controls.
Time frame: 60-74 days
Relationship between α4β2-nAChR receptor binding VT and cognitive symptoms, as measured by the Stroop Color-Word Interference Task in SCZ vs. matched controls.
The Primary Outcome Measure is comparison of the main effect of volume of distribution (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) on the Stroop Color-Word Interference Test score between SCZ patients and matched controls.
Time frame: 60-74 days
Relationship between α7-nAChR receptor binding VT and performance on the Spatial Attention Resource Allocation Task (SARAT) in SCZ vs. matched controls.
The Primary Outcome Measure is comparison of the main effect of volume of distribution (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) on the Spatial Attention Resource Allocation Task (SARAT) in SCZ vs. matched controls.
Time frame: 60-74 days
Relationship between α4β2-nAChR receptor binding VT and performance on the Spatial Attention Resource Allocation Task (SARAT) in SCZ vs. matched controls.
The Primary Outcome Measure is comparison of the main effect of volume of distribution (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) on the Spatial Attention Resource Allocation Task (SARAT) score in SCZ vs. matched controls.
Time frame: 60-74 days
Relationship between α4β2/α7-nAChR receptor binding VT and cognitive functioning, as measured by the Spatial Attention Resource Allocation Task (SARAT) in SCZ vs. matched controls.
The Primary Outcome Measure is the comparison of the interaction between α4β2/α7-nAChR volume of distribution (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) and the Spatial Attention Resource Allocation Task (SARAT) score in SCZ vs. matched controls.
Time frame: 60-74 days
Relationship between α4β2/α7-nAChR receptor binding VT and cognitive functioning, as measured by the Calibrated Neuropsychological Normative Scale (CNNS) score in SCZ vs. matched controls.
The Primary Outcome Measure is the comparison of the interaction between α4β2/α7-nAChR volume of distribution (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) and the Calibrated Neuropsychological Normative Scale (CNNS) score in SCZ vs. matched controls.
Time frame: 60-74 days
Relationship between α4β2/α7-nAChR VT and tobacco use disorder in SCZ patients who are smokers vs. non-smoker SCZ patients treated with olanzapine.
The Primary Outcome Measure is the relationship between α4β2/α7-nAChR (VT, represented as ml of plasma/cm\^3 of tissue) and smoking status in SCZ taking olanzapine who smoke tobacco.
Time frame: 60-74 days
Relationship between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) CHRNA7 rs3087454 and race in SCZ vs. matched controls.
The Primary Outcome Measure is the correlation between CHRNA7 rs3087454 and and race (non-Hispanic Caucasians and African Americans) in SCZ vs. matched controls.
Time frame: 60-74 days