Clinical examination of the new nicotine-receptor marker NCFHEB with positron emission tomography in patients with morbus alzheimer and healthy control groups

​Research staff

Prof. Dr. U. Hegerl, PD Dr. P. Schönknecht, Prof. Dr. H.-J. Gertz

Cooperation partner

Prof. Dr. med. Osama Sabri (Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Centre Leipzig)

Aim

Primary objective:

1. Validation of NCFHEB as an in vivo marker of brain a4b2 nicotinic receptor (nAChR) availability in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared with controls (healthy volunteers). The hypothesis is that nAChR availability is reduced in AD patients compared to healthy volunteers in brain regions primarely affected in AD such as temporo-parietal and posterior cingulate cortices.

Secondary objectives:

1. Determination of safety and tolerability of NCFHEB
2. Determination of the radiation dosimetry and standard pharmacokinetic parameters for NCFHEB Development of a kinetic model in order to quantitatively describe regional central a4ß2 nAChR availability in the brain of patients with AD, as well as healthy volunteers

Study design

Open-label, non-randomized, cohort comparison