Prospects and challenges of imaging neuroinflammation beyond TSPO in Alzheimer's disease.

ABSTRACT: Neuroinflammation, as defined by the activation of microglia and astrocytes, has emerged in the last years as a key element of the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases based on genetic findings and preclinical and human studies. This has raised the need for new methodologies to assess and follow glial activation in patients, prompting the development of PET ligands for molecular imaging of glial cells and novel structural MRI and DTI tools leading to a multimodal approach. The present review describes the recent advancements in microglia and astrocyte biology in the context of health, ageing, and Alzheimer's disease, the most common dementia worldwide. The review further delves in molecular imaging discussing the challenges associated with past and present targets, including conflict

SUBMITTER: Boche D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6879435 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature