Disease-related and drug-induced changes in dopamine transporter expression might undermine the reliability of imaging studies of disease progression in Parkinson's disease

• Published in: Parkinsonism & related disorders 2005-12, Vol.11 (8), p.475-484
• Main Authors: Winogrodzka, A., Booij, J., Wolters, E. Ch
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antiparkinson Agents - therapeutic use; Disease Progression; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - biosynthesis; Dopamine transporter (DAT); Humans; Parkinson Disease - diagnostic imaging; Parkinson Disease - metabolism; Parkinson Disease - pathology; Parkinson's disease; Positron emission tomography (PET); Reproducibility of Results; Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT); Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
• ISSN: 1353-8020; 1873-5126
• DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2005.08.001

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Standard therapeutic interventions are aimed at replenishment of empty dopamine stores with levodopa or substitution with dopamine receptor agonists. However, in the long term this symptomatic therapy fails. Currently, various neuroprotective agents are being developed, with the intention to slow down the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. In this context, the early identification of persons at risk to develop the disease as well as the assessment of the effectiveness of putative neuroprotective agents, are critical issues. Dopamine transporter (DAT) scintigraphy with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has been used to assess the dopaminergic function in PD. Initial studies with several radioligands show significant loss of DAT binding in PD patients as compared to controls. In this paper we review the evidence on the utility of DAT imaging with SPECT in early PD detection as well as in monitoring neurprotection.