Molecular imaging of movement disorders

Figure 5 Positron emission tomography assessment of a neuroprotective strategy for methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity with [¹¹C]WIN 35,428, a selective dopamine transporter ligand. Prior to drug treatment, symmetrical and selective striatal uptake was demonstrated (left, pre-methamphetamine). Glial cell-line derived growth factor (GDNF) was then unilaterally injected into the striatum (left-sided striatum on the images shown). One week later, a neurotoxic methamphetamine (METH) dosage was systemically administered. Subsequent studies showed that the GDNF-pretreated striatum was partially protected from the METH-induced neurotoxicity and that it recovered at a faster rate relative to the contralateral striatum (right, post-methamphetamine). (Originally published in Synapse. Melega WP, Lacan G, Desalles AA, Phelps ME. Long-term methamphetamine-induced decreases of [(11)C]WIN 35,428 binding in striatum are reduced by GDNF: PET studies in the vervet monkey. Synapse 2000; 35: 243-249. © by John Wiley & Sons publications, Inc.)