Selected PET Radioligands for Ion Channel Linked Neuroreceptor Imaging: Focus on GABA, NMDA and nACh Receptors

Curr Top Med Chem. 2016;16(16):1830-42. doi: 10.2174/1568026616666160315142457.

Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET) neuroimaging of ion channel linked receptors is a developing area of preclinical and clinical research. The present review focuses on recent advances with radiochemistry, preclinical and clinical PET imaging studies of three receptors that are actively pursued in neuropsychiatric drug discovery: namely the γ-aminobutyric acid-benzodiazapine (GABA) receptor, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Recent efforts to develop new PET radioligands for these targets with improved brain uptake, selectivity, stability and pharmacokinetics are highlighted.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antipsychotic Agents / metabolism
  • Antipsychotic Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Drug Discovery
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Radioisotopes / analysis*
  • Radioisotopes / metabolism*
  • Receptors, GABA / analysis*
  • Receptors, GABA / metabolism
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / analysis*
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism
  • Receptors, Nicotinic / analysis*
  • Receptors, Nicotinic / metabolism

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Radioisotopes
  • Receptors, GABA
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Receptors, Nicotinic