NCT05582200 · RECRUITING
Selective PET Imaging of Astrocytes and Microglia in Alzheimer's Disease
This study is testing a new brain imaging method that can separately photograph two types of inflammation cells — microglia and astrocytes — using specialized PET scans. Right now, existing scans blur those two cell types together, which makes it hard to track whether anti-inflammation treatments are working. This is not a drug treatment trial; it is a tool-building study with no specified phase, meaning researchers are still developing and validating the measurement technique itself.
Eligibility criteria
Patients with Alzheimer's disease Inclusion criteria: * Individuals of either sex, 50-90 years of age. * Meeting research criteria for AD (McKhann, Knopman et al. 2011). * With a CDR (Morris 1993) score of 1-3. * Fluent in English or Spanish. * Have sufficient communication and comprehension ability to consent to the performance of the study or have a legally authorized representative. Exclusion criteria: * Inability to undergo MRI or PET for any reason, including severe claustrophobia. * History of large stroke or brain trauma, multiple sclerosis or other brain disorder that, in the judgment of the PI may confound the study. * Pregnancy. In women in whom the possibility of pregnancy cannot be excluded, a pregnancy test must be performed on site the morning of any PET visit and a negative result together with a physician interview are required prior to the administration or any radiopharmaceutical. * Research radiation exposure greater than 50 mSv effective dose within 12 months including radiation exposure from this study. Healthy volunteers: Inclusion criteria: * Individuals of 18-90 years of age. * Negative amyloid accumulation determined by PET (only for the comparison with AD). * Fluent in English. * Have enough communication and comprehension ability to consent to the performance of the study. Exclusion criteria: * Inability to undergo MRI or PET for any reason, including severe claustrophobia. * Brain disorder, other than idiopathic headache. * Current primary Axis I or II psychiatric disorder. * Current use of psychotropic or anti-epileptic medication. * Substance abuse during the past two years. * Active cancer, metabolic encephalopathy, infection, cardiovascular disease. * Active hematological, renal, pulmonary, endocrine or hepatic disorders, except for treated thyroid disease. * Pregnancy. In women in whom the possibility of pregnancy cannot be excluded, a pregnancy test must be performed on site the morning of any PET visit and a negative result together with a physician interview are required prior to the administration or any radiopharmaceutical * Research radiation exposure greater than 50 mSv effective dose within 12 months including radiation exposure from this study. * Only for the subjects undergoing the blocked scan with selegiline: known contraindications to selegiline, including hypersensitivity to the drug and use of opioids, such as meperidine and some antidepressants such as bupropion.
The sponsor's own eligibility wording, lightly reformatted. The study team makes the final eligibility decision — worth discussing with your doctor.
Eligibility criteria as of 2026-04-06