๐ฌIn plain words
What the trial is, and whether it could suit you
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a functional imaging technique, which enables in vivo visualization of biological molecules expressed in human tissues. Brain PET is most powerful to study a vast range of neurological and psychiatric disorders in vivo, targeting neuronal and glial activity, metabolism, cerebral blood flow, receptor proteins or misfolded proteins.
In vivo imaging of synaptic density in the human brain has become feasible through development of \[11C\]UCB-J, a PET radioligand for the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, which is ubiquitously and homogeneously present in presynaptic terminals throughout the brain. A first study in Huntington's disease (HD) mutation carriers showed loss of striatal \[11C\]UCB-J binding (also when corrected for atrophy), as well as in the neocortex (Delva et al, Neurology 2022). Moreover, regional synaptic loss was highly correlated to motor
Sign in to get the eligibility rules as simple questions to take to your doctor.
๐ Eligibility rules (as published)
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Healthy controls (n = 10-20)
* Subject is judged to be in good health by the investigator on the basis of medical history, physical examination including vital signs, clinical laboratory test and urinalysis.
* No history or evidence of current major neurological, internal or psychiatric disorder, based on the medical assessment as described hereabove and neuropsychological assessment.
* In subjects \< 60 years of age, an unremarkable structural MRI scan as assessed by expert radiologist. In subjects \>= 60 years of age white matter hyperintensities corresponding to a white matter lesion (WML) Fazekas score \< 2 on the Age-Related White Matter changes scale are acceptable.
2. HD-ISS stage 3 HD mutation carriers (n = 10)
* HTT CAG repeat expansion 40 - 50
* stage 3 as determined by the HD-ISS staging criteria
* UHDRS TFC \>/= 10
3. HD-ISS stage 2 HD mutation carriers (n = 10)
* HTT CAG repeat expansion 40 - 50
* stage 2 as determined by the HD-ISS staging criteria
* PIN score 0.47 - 1.84
Exclusion Criteria:
* Neuropsychiatric diseases; for HD mutation carriers any neuropsychiatric diseases other than HD
* Major internal medical diseases
* White matter lesion load on FLAIR Fazekas score 2 or higher or other relevant MRI abnormalities
* History of alcohol abuse or current alcohol abuse (chronic use of more than 15 units per week) or drug use
* Contraindications for MR
* Subject suffers from claustrophobia or cannot tolerate confinement during PET-MRI scanning procedures; subject cannot lie still for 30 minutes inside the scanner.
* Subject is unwilling to avoid unusual, unaccustomed, or strenuous physical activity (i.e., weightlifting, running, bicycling) from the time of the pre-study visit until the end of scanning.
* Subject does not understand the study procedures or does not have a guardian who understands the study procedures.
* Subject (or guardian) is unwilling or unable to perform all of the study procedures or is considered unsuitable in any way by the principal investigator.
* Subject is on anticoagulant therapy.
* Subject is pregnant (according to Ulti Med hCG urine test) or breastfeeding.
* Subject is a woman of childbearing potential who does not agree to apply appropriate contraception methods during study participation and continues to do so for at least 6 months after study completion.
* Subject is a man with a pregnant or non-pregnant WOCBP partner, who does not agree to use a condom and continue to do so until 90 days after study completion. In addition, the non-pregnant WOCBP partner should use a highly effective method of contraception.