Brain Imaging in Elderly People and Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2005-04-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The purpose of this study is to use brain imaging technology to study the effects of aging
and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) on a specific type of brain receptor.
The brain is made up of cells called neurons. The neurons communicate with one another and
secrete chemicals called neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters bind to specific sites on
other neurons called receptors. Acetylcholine (ACh) is a neurotransmitter that binds to ACh
receptors. In both aging and AD, the number of neurons that secrete ACh decreases and the
function of some ACh receptors changes. This study will use positron emission tomography
(PET) scans of the brain to study the effects of age and AD on muscarinic type 2 [M2], a type
of ACh receptor.
Participants in this study will be injected with a radioactive tracer (ligand [F-18] FP-TZTP)
which binds to [M2] receptors. Participants will then undergo a PET scan in order for the
density and function of [M2] receptors to be studied.