The 48th Annual Meeting of the Japan Neuroscience Society

chairperson: Makoto Higuchi (Neurofunctional Imaging Center, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology)

Co-sponsored by Ampametry Co. Ltd.

The brain changes in response to inputs from the external world such as learning and memory. This is called "neural plasticity. While basic research on plasticity at the synaptic level (synaptic plasticity) has accumulated a great deal of knowledge through rodent studies as well as in vitro studies, its clinical translation such as the elucidation of the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric diseases in human and scientific diagnosis and the development of therapeutics based on strong evidence of basic research is currently very limited. Glutamatergic synapses play a central role in information processing in the brain. During plastic changes in the brain, major glutamate receptors, AMPA receptors, are trafficked into synapses.
We have identified compounds that promote AMPA receptor synaptic trafficking in response to external input, and are currently investigating their potential as drugs to promote rehabilitation after stroke. The compound has proven to be dramatically effective in rodents and primates, and is currently undergoing clinical trials in stroke patients. The concept of a “rehabilitation effect-promoting drug” does not exist, and its realization would be a very significant step forward in the treatment of this disease.
The current diagnostic treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders lacks biological evidence. In this talk, I will present our latest findings on the development of a PET Probe that recognizes AMPA receptors. We have developed the world's first AMPA receptor PET probe that enables visualization of AMPA receptors in humans. This enables “reclassification of neuropsychiatric disorders by synaptic function molecules” and new diagnosis based on synaptic function in the future.