(April) PDE-10A expression in Huntington's disease gene carriers
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An 11C-IMA-107 PET study to assess the expression of PDE-10A enzyme in Huntington’s disease gene carriers
IRAS ID
124629
Contact name
Marios Politis
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Research summary
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disease of the brain that damages some of the nerve cells causing loss of function of areas of the brain. This affects movement, thinking and behaviour. People can start to show the symptoms between 35 and 55 years old, though behavioural changes and neuronal loss can occur several years before. Much is still unknown about the mechanisms that underlie the symptoms and their progress cannot be reversed or slowed down. In HD neurons in specific areas of the brain lose their ability to communicate to each other which lead them to die. A protein called phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE-10A)expressed in specific areas of the brain which are involved in movement and thinking seems to be alterated in the brain of HD people and its inhibition can lead to a decrease of neuronal loss. In this study, we aim to investigate PDE-10A expression in the brain of subjects carrying the gene for HD using a special type of brain scan called PET (positron emission tomography) which can be used to measure chemical changes within the brain and consequently study the functions of the brain. We believe PDE-10A may be altered at very early stage of the disease and its change may influence the development of symptoms of HD. If this hypothesis is true, PDE-10A could be a target for future therapies which could offer neuronal protection and increased neuronal survival.
REC name
London - Surrey Borders Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/0556
Date of REC Opinion
28 May 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion