Abnormal [ F]NIFENE binding in transgenic 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease: In vivo PET/CT imaging studies of α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptors and in vitro correlations with Aβ plaques.

Since cholinergic dysfunction has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the effects of Aβ plaques on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) α4β2* subtype were studied using the transgenic 5xFAD mouse model of AD. Using the PET radiotracer [ F]nifene for α4β2* nAChRs, in vitro autoradiography and in vivo PET/CT studies in 5xFAD mice were carried out and compared with wild-type (C57BL/6) mice. Ratios of [ F]nifene binding in brain regions versus cerebellum (CB) in 5xFAD mice brains were for thalamus (TH) = 17, hippocampus-subiculum = 7, frontal cortex (FC) = 5.