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Molecular connectivity of dopamine neurons in the nigrostriatal system

Description

With the growing importance of neural networks in neuroscience, functional connectivity studies using resting-state fMRI have been increasingly performed in recent years. A similar connectivity principle has also been applied to PET studies. Based on the assumption that different brain areas are metabolically connected if they show similar variance in radiotracer uptake, "metabolic connectivity analyses" in the form of so-called interregional correlation analyses have increasingly been performed on FDG-PET data. Recent studies have extended this approach to other radiotracers, including the molecular level of neurotransmitters. Using these "molecular connectivity analyses", it has been possible, for example, to investigate dopaminergic networks in healthy subjects using FDOPA-PET. In contrast to fMRI, however, such analyses are usually only possible at the group level due to the lack of time series, so that dynamic PET protocols using continuous infusion are increasingly being used. In this work, the molecular connectivity of healthy subjects and Parkinson's patients will be investigated using both static and multiframe PET at different levels. The indicator will be the detection of the classic nigrostriatal deficit that can be detected in PD with different modalities. This will provide the methodological basis for further dynamic FDOPA-PET studies.

Mr. Fabian Bodlee and Dr. Kenan Steidel
Telephone: 06421/58 - 65299
Telefax: 06421/58 - 67055
steidel@staff.*

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