Journal
BRAIN
Volume 131, Issue -, Pages 1171-1196Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/brain/awm255
Keywords
PET; opioid receptors; pain; epilepsy; addiction
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In vivo functional imaging by means of positron emission tomography (PET) is the sole method for providing a quantitative measurement of mu-, kappa and delta-opioid receptor-mediated signalling in the central nervous system. During the last two decades, measurements of changes to the regional brain opioidergic neuronal activation - mediated by endogenously produced opioid peptides, or exogenously administered opioid drugs - have been conducted in numerous chronic pain conditions, in epilepsy, as well as by stimulant- and opioidergic drugs. Although several PET-tracers have been used clinically for depiction and quantification of the opioid receptors changes, the underlying mechanisms for regulation of changes to the availability of opioid receptors are still unclear. After a presentation of the general signalling mechanisms of the opioid receptor system relevant for PET, a critical survey of the pharmacological properties of some currently available PET-tracers is presented. Clinical studies performed with different PET ligands are also reviewed and the compound-dependent findings are summarized. An outlook is given concluding with the tailoring of tracer properties, in order to facilitate for a selective addressment of dynamic changes to the availability of a single subclass, in combination with an optimization of the quantification framework are essentials for further progress in the field of in vivo opioid receptor imaging.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available