Hipóxia é definida como a baixa teor de oxigênio. Nos tumores a principal causa da hipóxia é a isquemia, que ocorre em função do rápido crescimento da massa tumoral e diminuição ou obstrução dos vasos sanguíneos que irrigam o interior dos tumores. Como a hipóxia é uma das causas do aumento da resistência à radioterapia de radiação e algumas formas de quimioterapia, a identificação de tumores com regiões de hipóxia é de elevada relevância e a utilização de radiofármacos tem sido muito promissora, por ser um método não invasivo e que podem mapear diferentes alterações fisiológicas associadas à hipóxia. Neste trabalho sintetizamos o ligante [[99mTc](O)2HL91], com rendimento final de síntese de 82,6% e preparamos o respectivo complexo de tecnécio, com eficiência de marcação maior que 97 %; também foi preparado o radiofármaco (18F)FAZA, com eficiência de marcação de 17,9% e pureza radioquímica, após purificação, maior que 86 %. Estudos de captação em células de melanoma murino B16F10, apresentaram taxa de captação de 0,73%, em condições de normóxia e de 8,5 % em condições de hipóxia para o [[99mTc](O)2HL91] , sobe as mesmas condições, de 0,73% e 0,98%, para o (18F)FAZA, respectivamente. Estudos de biodistribuição ex vivo mostraram taxa de captação em tumores da ordem de 4,3% para o [[99mTc](O)2HL91] e de 0,56% para o (18F)FAZA, a relação tumor/sangue foi de 2,6% e 2,5%, respectivamente. Para ambos os rins são a principal via de excreção. Análise, por autorradiografia, de cortes dos tumores mostraram claramente a concentração do [[99mTc](O)2HL91] em regiões de hipóxia/necrose. Imagem da distribuição dos radiofármacos em camundongos C57/Bl6, com tumores de células B16F10, utilizando sistema hibrido PET/SPECT/CT dedicado a pequenos animais, mostraram que a concentração do [[99mTc](O)2HL91] permitiu visualizar captação difusa em regiões do tumor, o mesmo foi observado para o (18F)FAZA, mas em uma taxa menor. Em conclusão, os resultados obtidos apresentam as possibilidades de preparação e utilização de dois radiofármacos, o [[99mTc](O)2HL91] e o (18F)FAZA, como agentes marcadores para hipóxia, utilizando as técnicas de SPECT e PET para imagem. Todavia, novos estudos deverão ser realizados para determinação da especificidade desses radiofármacos em diferentes linhagens tumorais / Hypoxia is a deficiency of oxygen in the cell. In tumors the primary cause of hypoxia is ischemia, which occurs due to the rapid growth of the tumor mass and reduction or blockage of the blood vessels decreasing nutrients and oxygen supply in more internal regions of the tumors. Once hypoxia is one cause of the increased resistance to radiation therapy and some forms of chemotherapy, their identification in tumors is highly relevant and use of radiopharmaceuticals has been very promising, because it is a noninvasive and can map different physiological changes associated with hypoxia. In this work, we synthesized the ligand [[99mTc](O)2HL91] given a final synthesis yield of 82.6% and prepared their technetium complex with the labeling efficiency greater than 97%, the (18F)FAZA radiopharmaceutical was also prepared with labeling yield of 17.9% and marking radiochemical purity higher of 86 %, after purification. Uptake studies in murine B16F10 melanoma cells showed uptake rate of 0.73% in normoxic conditions and 8.5% in hypoxic conditions, for [[99mTc](O)2HL91], and, under same conditions, 0.73% and 0.98%, for (18F)FAZA. Ex vivo biodistribution study showed uptake rate in tumors of approximately 4.3% for [[99mTc](O)2HL91] and 0.56% for (18F)FAZA, the tumor/blood ratio was 2.6% and 2.5% respectively. For both products the main route 16 of excretion was by the kidneys. Analysis by autoradiography of tumors sections clearly showed the concentration of [[99mTc](O)2HL91] in hypoxia/necrosis regions. The distribution of radiopharmaceuticals in C57/Bl6 mice implanted with tumor B16F10 cells, using dedicated small animals hybrid system PET/SPECT/C, permitted to observe the uptake of the [[99mTc](O)2HL91] in diffuses points in the tumor regions, the same was observed for the (18F)FAZA, but with lower intensity. In conclusion, the results obtained show possibilities for preparation and use of both radiopharmaceuticals, the [[99mTc](O)2HL91] and (18F)FAZA as agents for hypoxia marker, using the SPECT and PET image techniques. However, further studies should be conducted to determine the specificity of these radiopharmaceuticals in different tumor cell lines

A baixa oxigenação (hipóxia) altera drasticamente o metabolismo celular e a forma de produção de ATP, que em tumores pode estimular e permitir que as células desenvolvam mecanismos de escape, adaptação e resistência, contribuindo não só para um comportamento maligno e agressivo, mas também lhes conferindo resistência a tratamentos quimioterapêuticos e radioterapêuticos. A detecção de regiões de hipóxia em tumores pode ser realizada com diferentes radiofármacos. Neste trabalho preparamos e avaliamos o comportamento dos radiofármacos (18F)FAZA e [[99mTc]glucarato]- em células de melanoma murino B16F10, correlacionando dados bioquímicos e histopatológicos com a captação celular dos radiofármacos in vitro e com imagens em equipamento PET/SPECT/CT obtidas de camundongos C57Bl6 implantados com tumores. O (18F)FAZA foi obtido em rendimento de 17,9 % e pureza radioquímica de 86,72 %, enquanto que o rendimento e pureza radioquímica do [[99mTc]glucarato]- foi superior a 95 %, sendo que este complexo se liga à proteínas plasmáticas com taxa de aproximadamente 40 % e o complexo é desestabilizados pela mesmas, após 4 horas de incubação a 37 oC. O complexo também não é estável na presença de cisteína e histidina. A captação in vitro do [[99mTc]glucarato]- nas células foi da ordem de 0,1 % independente da condição e do tempo, enquanto que a captação de (18F)FAZA atingiu 0,9 % sob hipóxia e 0,2 % sob normóxia, nos primeiros 15 minutos de estudo. A biodistribuição ex vivo em camundongos apresentou taxa de captação por grama de tumor e razão tumor/sangue da ordem de 0,04 % e 1,49 para o [[99mTc]glucarato]- e de 0,34 % e 1,39 para o (18F)FAZA, em tempo de 1 hora. Imagem obtidas de camundongos, mostraram intensa captação da (18F)FDG no tumor, e tanto (18F)FAZA quanto [[99mTc]glucarato]- foram capazes de evidenciar regiões de hipóxia ou necrose, respectivamente, nos tumores, ainda que com baixa taxa de captação. Imagens autorradiográficas do [[99mTc]glucarato]- nos tumores excisados dos animais apresentaram distribuição homogênea no tumor, com algumas áreas de captação sugeridas como necróticas; tomando a autorradiografia como referência, o [[99mTc]glucarato]- não se concentrou na córtex renal, região reconhecidamente hipóxica. Assim, (18F)FAZA e [[99mTc]glucarato]- puderam ser preparados em nosso laboratório com qualidade suficiente para uso em pesquisa e demonstram potencial para utilização em novos estudos visando a detecção de regiões de hipóxia ou necrose, respectivamente / The low oxygen concentration, also named hypoxia, drastically alters cellular metabolism and the production form of ATP which, in tumors, can stimulate and allow cells to develop mechanisms for escape, adaptation and resistance, contributing not only to malignant and aggressive behavior, but also their conferring resistance to chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic treatments. The detection of regions of hypoxia in tumors can be performed using different radiopharmaceuticals. In this work we prepared and evaluated the behavior of radiopharmaceuticals (18F)FAZA and [[99mTc]glucarate]- in B16F10 murine melanoma cells, biochemical and histopathological data correlating it with the radiopharmaceutical cellular uptake, both in vitro or by PET/SPECT/CT imaging obtained from C57Bl6 mice implanted with tumors. The (18F)FAZA was obtained in radiochemical yield of 17.8 % and radiochemical purity of 86.72 %, while the radiochemical yield and purity for [[99mTc]glucarate] - was higher to 95 %, and this complex binds to the plasma proteins at concentration of 40 %, however a the complex is unstable in presence of albumine after 4 hours, at 37 oC. The complex is unstable in the presence of cysteine and histidine, at 37 oC. The in vitro uptake of [[99mTc]glucarate]- in B16F10 cells was approximately 0.1% independently of experimental conditions, while (18F)FAZA reached 0.9%, under hypoxia, and 0.2%, under normoxia, the first 15 minutes of the study. The ex vivo biodistribution in mice showed uptake in tumor and tumor/blood ratio of the 0.04 % and 1.49 for [[99mTc]glucarate]- and 0.34 % and 1.39 for (18F)FAZA. Imaging obtained from mice showed intense uptake of (18F)FDG in the tumor, and both (18F)FAZA and [[99mTc]glucarate]- were able to show hypoxia or necrotic regions in the tumor. Autoradiographic imaging showed homogeneous distribution of [[99mTc]glucarate]- in the slices of tumor excised from animals; taking kidney autoradiography as a reference, the [[99mTc]glucarate]- was not concentrated in renal cortex, a region admittedly hypoxic. In conclusion (18F)FAZA and [[99mTc]glucarate]- could be prepared in our laboratory with sufficient quality for use in research and demonstrate potential for use in future studies aiming to detect regions of hypoxia and necrosis, respectively

A baixa oxigenação (hipóxia) altera drasticamente o metabolismo celular e a forma de produção de ATP, que em tumores pode estimular e permitir que as células desenvolvam mecanismos de escape, adaptação e resistência, contribuindo não só para um comportamento maligno e agressivo, mas também lhes conferindo resistência a tratamentos quimioterapêuticos e radioterapêuticos. A detecção de regiões de hipóxia em tumores pode ser realizada com diferentes radiofármacos. Neste trabalho preparamos e avaliamos o comportamento dos radiofármacos (18F)FAZA e [[99mTc]glucarato]- em células de melanoma murino B16F10, correlacionando dados bioquímicos e histopatológicos com a captação celular dos radiofármacos in vitro e com imagens em equipamento PET/SPECT/CT obtidas de camundongos C57Bl6 implantados com tumores. O (18F)FAZA foi obtido em rendimento de 17,9 % e pureza radioquímica de 86,72 %, enquanto que o rendimento e pureza radioquímica do [[99mTc]glucarato]- foi superior a 95 %, sendo que este complexo se liga à proteínas plasmáticas com taxa de aproximadamente 40 % e o complexo é desestabilizados pela mesmas, após 4 horas de incubação a 37 oC. O complexo também não é estável na presença de cisteína e histidina. A captação in vitro do [[99mTc]glucarato]- nas células foi da ordem de 0,1 % independente da condição e do tempo, enquanto que a captação de (18F)FAZA atingiu 0,9 % sob hipóxia e 0,2 % sob normóxia, nos primeiros 15 minutos de estudo. A biodistribuição ex vivo em camundongos apresentou taxa de captação por grama de tumor e razão tumor/sangue da ordem de 0,04 % e 1,49 para o [[99mTc]glucarato]- e de 0,34 % e 1,39 para o (18F)FAZA, em tempo de 1 hora. Imagem obtidas de camundongos, mostraram intensa captação da (18F)FDG no tumor, e tanto (18F)FAZA quanto [[99mTc]glucarato]- foram capazes de evidenciar regiões de hipóxia ou necrose, respectivamente, nos tumores, ainda que com baixa taxa de captação. Imagens autorradiográficas do [[99mTc]glucarato]- nos tumores excisados dos animais apresentaram distribuição homogênea no tumor, com algumas áreas de captação sugeridas como necróticas; tomando a autorradiografia como referência, o [[99mTc]glucarato]- não se concentrou na córtex renal, região reconhecidamente hipóxica. Assim, (18F)FAZA e [[99mTc]glucarato]- puderam ser preparados em nosso laboratório com qualidade suficiente para uso em pesquisa e demonstram potencial para utilização em novos estudos visando a detecção de regiões de hipóxia ou necrose, respectivamente / The low oxygen concentration, also named hypoxia, drastically alters cellular metabolism and the production form of ATP which, in tumors, can stimulate and allow cells to develop mechanisms for escape, adaptation and resistance, contributing not only to malignant and aggressive behavior, but also their conferring resistance to chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic treatments. The detection of regions of hypoxia in tumors can be performed using different radiopharmaceuticals. In this work we prepared and evaluated the behavior of radiopharmaceuticals (18F)FAZA and [[99mTc]glucarate]- in B16F10 murine melanoma cells, biochemical and histopathological data correlating it with the radiopharmaceutical cellular uptake, both in vitro or by PET/SPECT/CT imaging obtained from C57Bl6 mice implanted with tumors. The (18F)FAZA was obtained in radiochemical yield of 17.8 % and radiochemical purity of 86.72 %, while the radiochemical yield and purity for [[99mTc]glucarate] - was higher to 95 %, and this complex binds to the plasma proteins at concentration of 40 %, however a the complex is unstable in presence of albumine after 4 hours, at 37 oC. The complex is unstable in the presence of cysteine and histidine, at 37 oC. The in vitro uptake of [[99mTc]glucarate]- in B16F10 cells was approximately 0.1% independently of experimental conditions, while (18F)FAZA reached 0.9%, under hypoxia, and 0.2%, under normoxia, the first 15 minutes of the study. The ex vivo biodistribution in mice showed uptake in tumor and tumor/blood ratio of the 0.04 % and 1.49 for [[99mTc]glucarate]- and 0.34 % and 1.39 for (18F)FAZA. Imaging obtained from mice showed intense uptake of (18F)FDG in the tumor, and both (18F)FAZA and [[99mTc]glucarate]- were able to show hypoxia or necrotic regions in the tumor. Autoradiographic imaging showed homogeneous distribution of [[99mTc]glucarate]- in the slices of tumor excised from animals; taking kidney autoradiography as a reference, the [[99mTc]glucarate]- was not concentrated in renal cortex, a region admittedly hypoxic. In conclusion (18F)FAZA and [[99mTc]glucarate]- could be prepared in our laboratory with sufficient quality for use in research and demonstrate potential for use in future studies aiming to detect regions of hypoxia and necrosis, respectively

Hipóxia é definida como a baixa teor de oxigênio. Nos tumores a principal causa da hipóxia é a isquemia, que ocorre em função do rápido crescimento da massa tumoral e diminuição ou obstrução dos vasos sanguíneos que irrigam o interior dos tumores. Como a hipóxia é uma das causas do aumento da resistência à radioterapia de radiação e algumas formas de quimioterapia, a identificação de tumores com regiões de hipóxia é de elevada relevância e a utilização de radiofármacos tem sido muito promissora, por ser um método não invasivo e que podem mapear diferentes alterações fisiológicas associadas à hipóxia. Neste trabalho sintetizamos o ligante [[99mTc](O)2HL91], com rendimento final de síntese de 82,6% e preparamos o respectivo complexo de tecnécio, com eficiência de marcação maior que 97 %; também foi preparado o radiofármaco (18F)FAZA, com eficiência de marcação de 17,9% e pureza radioquímica, após purificação, maior que 86 %. Estudos de captação em células de melanoma murino B16F10, apresentaram taxa de captação de 0,73%, em condições de normóxia e de 8,5 % em condições de hipóxia para o [[99mTc](O)2HL91] , sobe as mesmas condições, de 0,73% e 0,98%, para o (18F)FAZA, respectivamente. Estudos de biodistribuição ex vivo mostraram taxa de captação em tumores da ordem de 4,3% para o [[99mTc](O)2HL91] e de 0,56% para o (18F)FAZA, a relação tumor/sangue foi de 2,6% e 2,5%, respectivamente. Para ambos os rins são a principal via de excreção. Análise, por autorradiografia, de cortes dos tumores mostraram claramente a concentração do [[99mTc](O)2HL91] em regiões de hipóxia/necrose. Imagem da distribuição dos radiofármacos em camundongos C57/Bl6, com tumores de células B16F10, utilizando sistema hibrido PET/SPECT/CT dedicado a pequenos animais, mostraram que a concentração do [[99mTc](O)2HL91] permitiu visualizar captação difusa em regiões do tumor, o mesmo foi observado para o (18F)FAZA, mas em uma taxa menor. Em conclusão, os resultados obtidos apresentam as possibilidades de preparação e utilização de dois radiofármacos, o [[99mTc](O)2HL91] e o (18F)FAZA, como agentes marcadores para hipóxia, utilizando as técnicas de SPECT e PET para imagem. Todavia, novos estudos deverão ser realizados para determinação da especificidade desses radiofármacos em diferentes linhagens tumorais / Hypoxia is a deficiency of oxygen in the cell. In tumors the primary cause of hypoxia is ischemia, which occurs due to the rapid growth of the tumor mass and reduction or blockage of the blood vessels decreasing nutrients and oxygen supply in more internal regions of the tumors. Once hypoxia is one cause of the increased resistance to radiation therapy and some forms of chemotherapy, their identification in tumors is highly relevant and use of radiopharmaceuticals has been very promising, because it is a noninvasive and can map different physiological changes associated with hypoxia. In this work, we synthesized the ligand [[99mTc](O)2HL91] given a final synthesis yield of 82.6% and prepared their technetium complex with the labeling efficiency greater than 97%, the (18F)FAZA radiopharmaceutical was also prepared with labeling yield of 17.9% and marking radiochemical purity higher of 86 %, after purification. Uptake studies in murine B16F10 melanoma cells showed uptake rate of 0.73% in normoxic conditions and 8.5% in hypoxic conditions, for [[99mTc](O)2HL91], and, under same conditions, 0.73% and 0.98%, for (18F)FAZA. Ex vivo biodistribution study showed uptake rate in tumors of approximately 4.3% for [[99mTc](O)2HL91] and 0.56% for (18F)FAZA, the tumor/blood ratio was 2.6% and 2.5% respectively. For both products the main route 16 of excretion was by the kidneys. Analysis by autoradiography of tumors sections clearly showed the concentration of [[99mTc](O)2HL91] in hypoxia/necrosis regions. The distribution of radiopharmaceuticals in C57/Bl6 mice implanted with tumor B16F10 cells, using dedicated small animals hybrid system PET/SPECT/C, permitted to observe the uptake of the [[99mTc](O)2HL91] in diffuses points in the tumor regions, the same was observed for the (18F)FAZA, but with lower intensity. In conclusion, the results obtained show possibilities for preparation and use of both radiopharmaceuticals, the [[99mTc](O)2HL91] and (18F)FAZA as agents for hypoxia marker, using the SPECT and PET image techniques. However, further studies should be conducted to determine the specificity of these radiopharmaceuticals in different tumor cell lines

Epileptic syndromes with continuous spikes and waves during slow sleep (CSWS) are age-related epileptic encephalopathy characterized by the development of various psychomotor regressions in close temporal concordance with the appearance of the electroencephalogram (EEG) pattern of CSWS (Tassinari et al. 2000). This EEG pattern consists in sleep-related activation and diffusion of spike-wave discharges during usually more than 85% of non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep (Tassinari et al. 2000). <p>A minority of the CSWS cases has been associated to cortical or thalamic lesions (symptomatic cases), while in the other cases, the aetiology is unknown. We reported two families combining benign childhood epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BCECS), which is the most common form of idiopathic epilepsy in childhood, and cryptogenic epilepsy with CSWS in first-degree relatives. As idiopathic epilepsies are by definition epilepsies related to a genetic predisposition, these data suggests the existence of a continuum ranging from asymptomatic carriers of centro-temporal spikes to cryptogenic epilepsies with CSWS. This hypothesis is further supported by common clinical characteristics between BCECS and epilepsies with CSWS (Fejerman et al. 2000).<p>Epileptic syndromes with CSWS are characterized by an acute phase defined by the emergence of psychomotor deficits, various types of seizures and CSWS activity at around three to eight years of age (Holmes and Lenck-Santini, 2006; Veggiotti et al. 2001). This acute phase is followed by a recovery phase in which patients’ clinical condition improves together with the remission of CSWS pattern, which spontaneously occur at around 15 years of age but may be prompted by using antiepileptic drugs (AED) including corticosteroids (Holmes and Lenck-Santini, 2006; Veggiotti et al. 2001). This biphasic evolution suggests that CSWS activity largely contributes to the psychomotor deficits observed in these patients (Holmes and Lenck-Santini, 2006; Van Bogaert et al. 2006). However, some authors still consider CSWS activity as an epiphenomenon reflecting the underlying brain pathology, rather than the direct cause of the psychomotor regression (Aldenkamp and Arends, 2004). The pathophysiological mechanisms of how CSWS activity could actually lead to psychomotor regression are still poorly understood.<p>Functional cerebral imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), represent unique ways to non-invasively study the impact of epileptic activity on normal brain function. The PET technique using [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) gives information about the regional neuronal glucose consumption via the neurometabolic coupling while the fMRI technique studies the regional perfusional changes directly related to specific events of interest via the neurovascular coupling. We applied both FDG-PET and EEG combined with fMRI (EEG-fMRI) techniques to epileptic children with CSWS to better approach the functional repercussions of CSWS activity on neurophysiological functions and to determine the potential pathophysiological link between CSWS activity and psychomotor regression.<p>In a first FDG-PET study, we determined the regional cerebral glucose metabolic patterns at the acute phase of CSWS in 18 children. We found three types of metabolic patterns: the association of focal hypermetabolism with distinct hypometabolism in 10 patients, focal hypometabolism without any associated area of increased metabolism in five children, and the absence of any significant metabolic abnormality in three patients. The hypermetabolic brain areas were anatomically related to an EEG focus. This anatomical relationship was clearly less consistent for hypometabolic regions. The metabolic abnormalities involved mainly the associative cortices. The metabolic heterogeneity found in these children could be due to the use of corticosteroids before PET as it was significantly associated with the absence of focal hypermetabolism. At the group level, patients with at least one hypermetabolic brain areas showed significant increased metabolism in the right parietal region that was associated to significant hypometabolism in the prefrontal cortex. This finding was interpreted as a phenomenon of remote inhibition of the frontal lobes by highly epileptogenic and hypermetabolic posterior cortex. This hypothesis was supported by effective connectivity analyses which demonstrated the existence of significant changes in the metabolic relationship between these brain areas in this group of children compared to the control group or to the group of children without any significant hypermetabolic brain area. <p>This remote inhibition hypothesis would be reinforced by the demonstration, at the recovery phase of CSWS, of a common resolution of hypermetabolism at the site of epileptic foci and hypometabolism in distant connected brain areas. We thus performed a second FDG-PET study to determine the evolution of cerebral metabolism in nine children recovering from CSWS. At the acute phase of CSWS, all children had a metabolic pattern characterized by the association of focal hypermetabolism with distinct focal hypometabolic areas. The evolution to CSWS recovery was characterized by a complete or almost complete regression of both hypermetabolic and hypometabolic abnormalities. At the group level, the altered effective connectivity found at the acute phase between focal hypermetabolism (centro-parietal regions and right fusiform gyrus) and widespread hypometabolism (prefrontal and orbito-frontal cortices, temporal lobes, left parietal cortex, precuneus and cerebellum) markedly regressed at recovery. These results were of particular interest because they strongly suggested that the metabolic abnormalities observed during the acute phase of CSWS were mainly related to the neurophysiological effects of CSWS activity and not to the underlying cause of the epileptic disease. Moreover, this study confirmed that phenomena of remote inhibition do occur in epileptic syndromes with CSWS. <p>EEG-fMRI is a functional cerebral imaging technique that allows non-invasive mapping of haemodynamic changes directly associated to epileptic activity. In a first EEG-fMRI study, we determined the clinical relevance of the perfusional changes linked to interictal epileptic discharges in a group of seven children with pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy. This study showed that the EEG-fMRI technique is a promising tool to non-invasively localize the epileptic focus and its repercussion on normal brain function in children with epilepsy. Then, to further demonstrate the involvement of CSWS activity in the neurophysiological changes detected by FDG-PET, we used the EEG-fMRI technique to study the perfusional changes directly related to the epileptic activity in an epileptic girl with CSWS. This patient developed a cognitive and behavioural regression in association with a major increase in frequency and diffusion of the spike-wave discharges during the awake state (spike index: 50-75%) and non-REM sleep (spike index: 85-90%). The patient’s neuropsychological profile was dominated by executive dysfunction and memory impairment. During runs of secondarily generalized spike-wave discharges, EEG-fMRI demonstrated deactivations in the lateral and medial fronto-parietal cortices, posterior cingulate gyrus and cerebellum together with focal relative activations in the right frontal, parietal and temporal cortices. These results suggested that the neuropsychological impairment in this case could be related to specific cortical dysfunction secondary to the spread of the epileptic activity from focal hypermetabolic foci. <p>Taken together, both FDG-PET and EEG-fMRI investigations performed in epileptic children with CSWS have shown increases in metabolism/perfusion at the site of the epileptic focus that were associated to decreases in metabolism/perfusion in distinct connected brain areas. These data highly suggest that the neurophysiological effects of CSWS activity are not restricted to the epileptic focus but spread to connected brain areas via a possible mechanism of surrounding and/or remote inhibition. This mechanism is characterised by an epilepsy-induced inhibition of neurons that surround or are remote from the epileptic focus and connected with it via cortico-cortical or polysynaptic pathways (Witte and Bruehl, 1999). The existence of surrounding and remote inhibition phenomena have been well documented in different types of animal models of focal epilepsy using various functional cerebral imaging methods such as autoradiography or optical imaging (Bruehl et al. 1998; Bruehl and Witte, 1995; Witte et al. 1994). Their occurrence in human epilepsy have also been suspected in temporal or extra-temporal lobe epilepsies using FDG-PET, EEG-fMRI or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) (Blumenfeld et al. 2004; Schwartz and Bonhoeffer, 2001; Van Paesschen et al. 2003; Van Paesschen et al. 2007). Moreover, the demonstration of the regression of distant hypometabolic areas after surgical resection or disconnection of the epileptic focus further suggest that such inhibition mechanism do occur in epilepsy (Bruehl et al. 1998; Jokeit et al. 1997). On a clinical point of view, the demonstration of the existence of such inhibition mechanisms in epilepsies with CSWS brings new important insights for the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the psychomotor regression observed in these conditions. Indeed, these data highly suggest that the psychomotor regression is not only related to the neurophysiological impairment at the site of the epileptic foci but also to epilepsy-induced neurophysiological changes in distant connected brain areas. <p><p> / Doctorat en Sciences médicales / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Drug addiction is a behavioral disorder characterized by impulsive behavior and continued intake of drug in the face of adverse consequences. Millions of people suffer the financial and social consequences of addiction, and yet many of the current therapies for addiction treatment have limited efficacy. Therefore, there is a critical need to characterize the neurobiological substrates of addiction in order to formulate better treatment options. In the first chapter, the striatal dopamine system is interrogated with [11C]raclopride PET to assess differences between chronic cannabis users and healthy controls. The results of this chapter indicate that chronic cannabis use is not associated with a reduction in striatal D2/D3 receptor availability, unlike many other drugs of abuse. Additionally, recent cannabis consumption in chronic users was negatively correlated with D2/D3 receptor availability. Chapter 2 describes a retrospective analysis in which striatal D2/D3 receptor availability is compared between three groups of alcohol-drinking and tobacco-smoking subjects: nontreatment-seeking alcoholic smokers, social-drinking smokers, and social-drinking non-smokers. Results showed that smokers had reduced D2/D3 receptor availability throughout the striatum, independent of drinking status. The results of the first two chapters suggest that some combustion product of marijuana and tobacco smoke may have an effect on striatal dopamine concentration. Furthermore, they serve to highlight the effectiveness of using baseline PET imaging to characterize dopamine dysfunction in addictions. The final chapter explores the use of [18F]fallypride PET in a proof-of-concept study to determine whether changes in cortical dopamine can be detected during a response inhibition task. We were able to detect several cortical regions of significant dopamine changes in response to the task, and the amount of change in three regions was significantly associated with task performance. Overall, the results of Chapter 3 validate the use of [18F]fallypride PET to detect cortical dopamine changes during a impulse control task. In summary, the results reported in the current document demonstrate the effectiveness of PET imaging as a tool for probing resting and activated dopamine systems in addiction. Future studies will expand on these results, and incorporate additional methods to further elucidate the neurobiology of addiction.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / For years, the leading killer of Americans has been coronary artery disease (CAD), which has a strong correlation to the U.S. obesity epidemic. Obesity, along with the presence of other risk factors including hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure, comprise of the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The presentation of multiple MetS risk factors increases a patients risk for adverse cardiovascular events. CAD is a complex progressive disease. We utilized the superb model of CAD and MetS, the Ossabaw miniature swine, to investigate underlying mechanisms of CAD progression. We studied the influence of coronary epicardial adipose tissue (cEAT) and coronary smooth muscle cell (CSM) intracellular Ca2+ regulation on CAD progression. By surgical excision of cEAT from MetS Ossabaw, we observed an attenuation of CAD progression. This finding provides evidence for a link between local cEAT and CAD progression. Intracellular Ca2+ is a tightly regulated messenger in CSM that initiates contraction, translation, proliferation and migration. When regulation is lost, CSM dedifferentiate from their mature, contractile phenotype found in the healthy vascular wall to a synthetic, proliferative phenotype. Synthetic CSM are found in intimal plaque of CAD patients. We investigated the changes in intracellular Ca2+ signaling in enzymatically isolated CSM from Ossabaw swine with varying stages of CAD using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, fura-2. This time course study revealed heightened Ca2+ signaling in early CAD followed by a significant drop off in late stage calcified plaque. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a result of dedifferentiation into an osteogenic CSM that secretes hydroxyapatite in the extracellular matrix. CAC is clinically detected by computed tomography (CT). Microcalcifications have been linked to plaque instability/rupture and cannot be detected by CT. We used 18F-NaF positron emission tomography (PET) to detect CAC in Ossabaw swine with early stage CAD shown by mild neointimal thickening. This study validated 18F-NaF PET as a diagnostic tool for early, molecular CAC at a stage prior to lesions detectable by CT. This is the first report showing non-invasive PET resolution of CAC and CSMC Ca2+ dysfunction at an early stage previously only characterized by invasive cellular Ca2+ imaging.