Brain Dopaminergic Systems: Imaging with Positron Tomography

Imaging of the Dopaminergic system in the human brain with the in vivo use of Positron Emis- sion Tomography has emerged in the late 1980s as a tool of major importance in Clinical Neuros- ciences and Pharmacology. The last few years have witnessed the rapid development of new radiotracers specific to receptors, reuptake sites and enzymes of the dopamine system; the application of these radiotracers has led to major breakthroughs in the pathophysiology and therapy of movement disorders and schizophrenic-like psychoses. This book is the first to collect, in a single volume, state-of-the-art contributions to the various aspects of this research. Its contents address methodological issues related to the design, labelling, quantitative imaging and compartmental modelisation of radioligands of the post-synaptic, pre-synaptic and enzyme sites of the dopamine system and to their use in clinical research in the fields of Parkinson's disease as well as other movement disorders, psychoses and neuroleptic receptor occupancy. The chapters were written by leading European scientists in the field of Positron Emission Tomography, gathered together in Caen (France, November 1990) under the aegis of the EEC Concerted Action on "PET Investigations of Cellular Regeneration and Degeneration. This book provides a current and comprehensive overview on PET studies of the brain dopamine system which should aid and interest neurologists, psychiatrists, pharmacologists and medical imaging scientists. J. C. Baron D. Comar L. Farde J. L. Martinot B. Mazoyer August 1991 ix LIST OF CONTRffiUTORS Dr Yves Agid DrL.