PET and MRI scans to find brain inflammation and blood‑brain‑barrier leaks in autoimmune epilepsy
TSPO-PET and MRI Imaging as Novel Imaging Tools for Autoimmune Epilepsy
Special PET and MRI scans will look for brain inflammation and blood–brain‑barrier leaks in people with seizures thought to be caused by autoimmunity, including those with and without detectable autoantibodies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11317227 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You will get a PET scan using a new tracer ([11C]ER176) to visualize activated immune cells in the brain and MRI scans (including DCE‑MRI) to measure blood–brain‑barrier disruption. The study compares people with antibody‑positive autoimmune epilepsy, people suspected of autoimmune epilepsy but antibody‑negative, people with focal epilepsy from a known structural cause, and healthy volunteers. A small validation group will have lumbar puncture and blood tests to compare CSF‑to‑serum albumin ratios with the imaging signs of barrier leak. Some participants will have repeat PET scans to observe how inflammation changes over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with focal seizures suspected to be autoimmune—either with known neural autoantibodies or clinically suspected despite negative antibodies—are the primary candidates, with people who have structural focal epilepsy and healthy volunteers included as comparison groups.
Not a fit: People whose seizures are clearly due to non‑autoimmune causes (for example primary generalized epilepsies) or those unable to undergo PET/MRI or lumbar puncture may not gain direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these tests could help doctors identify which people with seizures have brain inflammation or a leaky blood–brain barrier and guide targeted immune treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Related PET and MRI methods have detected brain inflammation in other neurological diseases, but applying TSPO‑PET with [11C]ER176 and DCE‑MRI specifically to autoimmune epilepsy is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Steriade, Claude — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Steriade, Claude
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.