[ ¹¹ C]PK11195 binding in Alzheimer disease and progressive supranuclear palsy

OBJECTIVE: We tested whether in vivo neuroinflammation relates to the distinctive distributions of pathology in Alzheimer disease (AD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). METHODS: C]PK11195 PET scanning, which was used as an in vivo index of neuroinflammation. RESULTS: C]PK11195 binding in the pallidum, midbrain, and pons correlated with disease severity in PSP. CONCLUSIONS: Together, our results suggest that neuroinflammation has an important pathogenic role in the 2 very different human neurodegenerative disorders of AD and PSP. The increase and distribution of microglial activation suggest that immunotherapeutic strategies may be useful in slowing the progression of both diseases.