Synaptic connectivity

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A study of synaptic connectivity in healthy volunteers and patients diagnosed with mental disorders

• IRAS ID

  275516

• Contact name

  Oliver Howes

• Contact email

  oliver.howes@kcl.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  King's College London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  4 years, 11 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  Mental health disorders are currently treated based on symptoms. Abnormality in nerve connections have been linked to mental illness especially in those where psychosis is present. Neurotransmitters are chemicals released in nerve junctions known as synapses and they help in their communication. One of the suggestions in subjects suffering from psychosis is that neurotransmission is impaired because the number of synapses (nerve junctions) present in the developing brain is less and the brain network is impaired. On the contrary in Autism spectrum disorder excess synapse formation has been suggested.
  
  This study aims to vary neurotransmission by giving a drug called Levetiracetam (LEV) and record changes in brain function using brain scans. LEV binds to a protein called SV2A in the brain present in nerve junctions. We will use MRI and MEG brain scans. MRI uses the orientation of water molecules and blood flow to image the brain while MEG records magnetic fields generated in the brain. These scans will allow to understand the extent to which impaired brain network relates to impaired brain function in these disorders.

  On a separate occasion, participants will also undergo a type of scan that has opened the possibility to measure nerve junctions (PET – Positron emission tomography). The PET scan will use a specific molecule (a ‘radiotracer’) which can be labelled with a small amount of radioactivity and can be measured noninvasively when it enters the brain. This specific molecule (11C UCB-J)targets the protein SV2A which is present only in nerve junction sites. Hence this scan will inform us of the number of nerve junctions and will also help us to measure the amount of SV2A acted on by LEV (SV2A is the target of LEV).

• REC name

  London - Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  21/LO/0188

• Date of REC Opinion

  8 Apr 2021

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion