Ace Therapeutics offers fully shielded scanners, animal welfare solutions and detailed experimental workflows, and we aim to support high-throughput translational preclinical research in the field of nuclear molecular imaging studies related to psychiatric disorders.

Introduction of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in Psychiatry

Positron emission tomography (PET) has been widely used in the study of psychiatric disorders. Blood flow, metabolic and structural imaging studies have shown altered neural circuitry in major psychiatric disorders including mood disorders, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Studies have shown that the metabolic changes observed in the brains of patients with schizophrenia are due to fundamental changes in neuronal function. Brain metabolism may be decreased in patients with bipolar depression. Obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders increase brain metabolism. Subjects with chronic alcohol abuse may have decreased brain metabolism. PET is a valuable tool in psychiatric research and can be used to determine regional brain metabolism and neuroreceptor characteristics. In addition, PET allows for faster identification of the range of possible therapeutic doses, which can aid in treatment and drug development.

Fig. 1 Small animal brain PET tracking system. (Miranda A, et al., 2021)

PET Services

Ace Therapeutics has high-throughput imaging instruments that provide fast low-dose CT and high PET sensitivity dedicated to preclinical antipsychotic drug and tracer development. Our software provides a complete solution from subject and study processing to scan execution, image reconstruction co-alignment and image fusion, data analysis and automated report generation. We can easily link imaging data with the state-of-the-art quantitative PET data analysis and kinetic modeling capabilities offered by our biomedical image quantification software.

How PET Works?

PET works by using a scanning device (a machine with a large hole in the center) to detect photons (subatomic particles) emitted by radionuclides in the organ or tissue being examined. radionuclides used in a PET scan are made by attaching radioactive atoms to chemicals that are naturally used by a specific organ or tissue in its metabolic process. For example, in a PET scan of the brain, radioactive atoms are applied to glucose (blood sugar) to produce radionuclides called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG).

What Can We Help You Achieve in Psychiatry with PET?

• Monitor receptor occupancy quantification and neurotransmitter concentrations
• Study regional brain metabolism and neuroreceptor profiles
• Identify abnormalities in peptide neurotransmitter systems such as adrenocorticotropin-releasing factor or substance P
• Assess all components of different neurotransmitter systems (e.g., serotonin and dopamine)
• Examine brain metabolism, enzyme activity, protein accumulation and receptor binding
• Provide important insights into neurotransmitter receptors and their occupancy by neurotransmitters or drugs

Ace Therapeutics is dedicated to helping you assess whole brain or local metabolism, tissue perfusion or receptor density through different PET methods to help you identify specific changes in brain dysfunction and better understand the underlying pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. If you are interested in PET testing, please feel free to make an inquiry and we will be happy to assist you.

Reference

1. Miranda A, et al. Translation of Preclinical PET Imaging Findings: Challenges and Motion Correction to Overcome the Confounding Effect of Anesthetics. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021, 8:753977.