Andrea Varrone research group
Molecular brain imaging of neurodegenerative disorders
The main research focus of the group is the development of molecular imaging markers for the study of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson´s and Huntington´s disease, using positron emission tomography (PET).
The vision of the group is to develop imaging markers to study in vivo the interaction between protein misfolding, neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. The work is based on the use of a fully translational imaging platform ranging from animal models to human subjects. The development of imaging markers makes use also of in vitro binding and autoradiographic techniques.
The preclinical and clinical research is supported by the Swedish Science Council, Vinnova, Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research and from a private donation. Additional funding comes from AstraZeneca and CHDI Foundation.
Selected publications
PROFILE: A new method to map the dopamine system in Parkinson’s patients
Varrone A, http://www.scitecheuropa.eu/dopamine-system-parkinsons-disease/86858/
Nigrostriatal dopamine transporter availability in early Parkinson's disease.
Fazio P, Svenningsson P, Cselényi Z, Halldin C, Farde L, Varrone A
Mov. Disord. 2018 04;33(4):592-599
Whole-Body Biodistribution and Dosimetry of the Dopamine Transporter Radioligand 18F-FE-PE2I in Human Subjects.
Lizana H, Johansson L, Axelsson J, Larsson A, Ögren M, Linder J, et al
J. Nucl. Med. 2018 08;59(8):1275-1280
Patterns of age related changes for phosphodiesterase type-10A in comparison with dopamine D2/3 receptors and sub-cortical volumes in the human basal ganglia: A PET study with 18F-MNI-659 and 11C-raclopride with correction for partial volume effect.
Fazio P, Schain M, Mrzljak L, Amini N, Nag S, Al-Tawil N, et al
Neuroimage 2017 05;152():330-339
Optimal Acquisition Time Window and Simplified Quantification of Dopamine Transporter Availability Using 18F-FE-PE2I in Healthy Controls and Parkinson Disease Patients.
Sonni I, Fazio P, Schain M, Halldin C, Svenningsson P, Farde L, et al
J. Nucl. Med. 2016 Oct;57(10):1529-1534
Mapping the distribution of serotonin transporter in the human brainstem with high-resolution PET: Validation using postmortem autoradiography data.
Fazio P, Schain M, Varnäs K, Halldin C, Farde L, Varrone A
Neuroimage 2016 06;133():313-320
5-HT1B receptor imaging and cognition: a positron emission tomography study in control subjects and Parkinson's disease patients.
Varrone A, Svenningsson P, Marklund P, Fatouros-Bergman H, Forsberg A, Halldin C, et al
Synapse 2015 Jul;69(7):365-74
Quantitative Analysis of ¹⁸F-(E)-N-(3-Iodoprop-2-Enyl)-2β-Carbofluoroethoxy-3β-(4'-Methyl-Phenyl) Nortropane Binding to the Dopamine Transporter in Parkinson Disease.
Fazio P, Svenningsson P, Forsberg A, Jönsson EG, Amini N, Nakao R, et al
J. Nucl. Med. 2015 May;56(5):714-20
Safety and tolerability of intracerebroventricular PDGF-BB in Parkinson's disease patients.
Paul G, Zachrisson O, Varrone A, Almqvist P, Jerling M, Lind G, et al
J. Clin. Invest. 2015 Mar;125(3):1339-46
Positron emission tomography imaging of 5-hydroxytryptamine1B receptors in Parkinson's disease.
Varrone A, Svenningsson P, Forsberg A, Varnäs K, Tiger M, Nakao R, et al
Neurobiol. Aging 2014 Apr;35(4):867-75