The role of PDE-4 in neurodegenerative disorders
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The role of PDE-4 in neurodegenerative disorders: An 11C-rolipram PET study in Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease
IRAS ID
162128
Contact name
Marios Politis
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE-4) is a protein expressed in a specific area of the brain called striatum, which contribute to the control of movement and behaviour. Previous work on animals have shown that dysregulation of PDE-4 may lead cells in the brain to die. Parkinson’s (PD) and Huntington’s (HD) disease are two progressive neurological conditions, which affect mainly the striatum. PDE-4 could be a key therapeutic target in HD and PD, however its expression and importance in humans is unknown. Previous animal studies have shown that PDE-4 inhibition with rolipram can lead to a decrease of neuronal loss in the striatum of animal model of HD. In this study, we aim to investigate in vivo the expression of PDE-4 enzyme in PD patients and HD gene carriers using positron emission tomography (PET) with 11C-rolipram, which is a specific tracer for PDE-4. We hypothesise that PDE-4 will be dysregulated in specific areas of the brain relevant to the control of movements playing a critical role in neurodegeneration.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/2104
Date of REC Opinion
26 Nov 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion