Is There Astrocyte Pathology In Ptsd? Preliminary Findings Of A Pet Study With The Monoamine Oxidase B Radioligand [11c]Sl25.1188

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating mental condition that results from exposure to traumatic event(s), such as military combat, assault, or disaster. Pre-clinical models of PTSD and related conditions (depression and anxiety) suggest a decrease in astrocyte-related proteins (e.g. GFAP). There is a lack of in vivo studies of astrocyte pathology in patients with PTSD. Our specific aim was to use positron emission tomography (PET) of the monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) probe [11C]SL25.1188 (an index of astroglial cell levels), to test the hypothesis that MAO-B in the brain is decreased in PTSD.