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RecruitingAccepts healthy volunteersPhase 1/Phase 2

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Neuroinflammation in Parkinson's Disease-TSPO- Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Substudy

University of Alabama at Birmingham · NCT03457493

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 30+ · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Phase 1, Phase 2
Target enrollment
205
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
March 22, 2018
Record last updated
August 12, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

The primary objective of this substudy is to measure the concentration and the regional brain distribution of activated brain microglia/macrophages using the PET ligand [18F]DPA-714 in participants enrolled in the UAB Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Parkinson's Disease (Clinical Research Core) and Longitudinal [18F]DPA-714 Imaging in a Parkinson Disease Cohort studies. The PET tracer [18F]DPA-714 binds to the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO, also known as the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor) in the mitochondria of activated microglia/macrophages and provides a non-invasive measure of neuroinflammation. The amount and distribution of [18F]DPA-714 in the brain will be correlated to clinical data acquired through the separate ongoing UAB Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Parkinson Disease (Clinical Research Core) and Longitudinal [18F]DPA-714 Imaging in a Parkinson Disease Cohort studies. The primary objective of this study is to determine if patients with PD have higher levels of neuroinflammation than healthy controls as measured with [18F]DPA-714-PET/MRI.

Being studied: DPA-714-PET/MRI; 5-year Follow-up DPA-714-PET/MRI; DPA-714 Metabolite Analysis

Conditions: Parkinson Disease

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria for all cohorts

  • Enrollment in either the UAB Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Parkinson Disease (Clinical Research Core) study or UAB Longitudinal [18F]DPA-714 Imaging in a Parkinson Disease Cohort study under the separate UAB-approved research protocols (IRB-300001745 and IRB-300011684 respectively, PI Yacoubian)
  • Negative urine or serum Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) test within 2 days of [18F]DPA-714-PET administration in women of childbearing potential. Women who are post-menopausal with at least 1 year since last menses or documented surgical sterilization will not require pregnancy testing.
  • High or mixed affinity binder for TSPO ligands based on genotyping for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs6971.

Exclusion Criteria for all cohorts

  • Meets any exclusion criteria for the UAB Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Parkinson's Disease (Clinical Research Core) study or UAB Longitudinal [18F]DPA-714 Imaging in a Parkinson's Disease Cohort study.
  • Contraindication to MRI and/or PET imaging
  • Inability to participate in the imaging studies due to severity of PD or other medical comorbidities.
  • Low-affinity binder for TSPO ligands based on genotyping for SNP rs6971.

Inclusion Criteria specific for UDALL 5-year Follow-up Cohort

  • Parkinson's Disease participant enrolled in UDALL Baseline Cohort. Baseline imaging to be completed no more than 6 years prior.

Inclusion of Women and Minorities

Participants 30 years of age or older will be eligible for study participation. No other discriminatory factors, including age, sex, or ethnic background will be used to determine eligibility. Every effort will be made to ensure that minorities are recruited for study participation.

Recruiting US locations

  • UAB Advanced Imaging Facility

    Birmingham, AL 35294

    Site contact: Evan Hudson · 205-996-1082 · evanhudson@uabmc.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Jonathan McConathy, MD · 205-996-7115 · jmcconathy@uabmc.edu
  • Evan Hudson · 205-996-1082 · evanhudson@uabmc.edu
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The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Neuroinflammation in… (NCT03457493) | Bored Studies