Longitudinal Synaptic Density PET with 11C-UCB-J 6 Months After Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore longitudinal changes in synaptic density after ischemic stroke in vivo with synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) positron emission tomography (PET). Methods: We recruited patients with an ischemic stroke to undergo 11C-UCB-J PET/MR within the first month and 6 months after the stroke. We investigated longitudinal changes of partial volume corrected 11C-UCB-J standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR; relative to centrum semiovale) within the ischemic lesion, peri-ischemic area and unaffected ipsilesional and contralesional grey matter. We also explored crossed cerebellar diaschisis at 6 months. Additionally, we defined brain regions potentially influencing upper limb motor recovery after stroke and studied 11C-UCB-J SUVR evolution in comparison to baseline. Results: In 13 patients (age = 67 ± 15 years) we observed decreasing 11C-UCB-J SUVR in the ischemic lesion (ΔSUVR = −1.0, p = 0.001) and peri-ischemic area (ΔSUVR = −0.31, p = 0.02) at 6 months after stroke compared to baseline. Crossed cerebellar diaschisis as measured with 11C-UCB-J SUVR was present in 11 of 13 (85%) patients at 6 months. The 11C-UCB-J SUVR did not augment in ipsilesional or contralesional brain regions associated with motor recovery. On the contrary, there was an overall trend of declining 11C-UCB-J SUVR in these brain regions, reaching statistical significance only in the nonlesioned part of the ipsilesional supplementary motor area (ΔSUVR = −0.83, p = 0.046). Interpretation: At 6 months after stroke, synaptic density further declined in the ischemic lesion and peri-ischemic area compared to baseline. Brain regions previously demonstrated to be associated with motor recovery after stroke did not show increases in synaptic density. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:911–921.