Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (Oct 2020)

β-Amyloid Plaque Reduction in the Hippocampus After Focused Ultrasound-Induced Blood–Brain Barrier Opening in Alzheimer’s Disease

  • Pierre-François D’Haese,
  • Pierre-François D’Haese,
  • Pierre-François D’Haese,
  • Pierre-François D’Haese,
  • Manish Ranjan,
  • Manish Ranjan,
  • Alexander Song,
  • Marc W. Haut,
  • Marc W. Haut,
  • Jeffrey Carpenter,
  • Jeffrey Carpenter,
  • Gerard Dieb,
  • Gerard Dieb,
  • Umer Najib,
  • Umer Najib,
  • Peng Wang,
  • Peng Wang,
  • Rashi I. Mehta,
  • Rashi I. Mehta,
  • J. Levi Chazen,
  • Sally Hodder,
  • Daniel Claassen,
  • Michael Kaplitt,
  • Ali R. Rezai,
  • Ali R. Rezai

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2020.593672
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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The blood–brain barrier (BBB) limits therapeutic delivery in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurological disorders. Animal models have demonstrated safe BBB opening and reduction in β-amyloid plaque with focused ultrasound (FUS). We recently demonstrated the feasibility, safety, and reversibility of FUS-induced BBB opening in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex in six participants with early AD. We now report the effect of BBB opening with FUS treatment on β-amyloid plaque. Six participants underwent 18F-Florbetaben PET scan at baseline and 1 week after the completion of the third FUS treatment (60 days interval). PET analysis comparing the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex in the treated and untreated hemispheres revealed a decrease in the ratio of 18F-Florbetaben ligand binding. The standard uptake value ratios (SUVr) reduction ranged from 2.7% to 10% with an average of 5.05% (±2.76) suggesting a decrease in β-amyloid plaque.

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