Decreased integrity of the monoaminergic tract is associated with a positive response to MPH in patients with vascular cognitive impairment - proof of principle study STREAM-VCI.

Background: Patients with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) are very heterogeneous in both symptoms and type of cerebrovascular pathology. This might be an important reason why there is no symptomatic treatment available for VCI patients. In this study, we investigated in patients with VCI, whether there was an association between a positive response to methylphenidate and galantamine and the type of cerebrovascular disease, structural damage to specific neurotransmitter systems, cerebral perfusion, and presence of co-morbid Alzheimer (AD) pathology.

Investigating the origin and evolution of cerebral small vessel disease: The RUN DMC - InTENse study.

Background: Neuroimaging in older adults commonly reveals signs of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). SVD is believed to be caused by chronic hypoperfusion based on animal models and longitudinal studies with inter-scan intervals of years. Recent imaging evidence, however, suggests a role for acute ischaemia, as indicated by incidental diffusion-weighted imaging lesions (DWI+ lesions), in the origin of SVD.

Dose-dependent effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram: A combined SPECT and phMRI study.

Background: Serotonin transporter blockers, like citalopram, dose-dependently bind to the serotonin transporter. Pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) can be used to non-invasively monitor effects of serotonergic medication. Although previous studies showed that phMRI can measure the effect of a single dose of serotoninergic medication, it is currently unclear whether it can also detect dose-dependent effects.