Application of modern neuroimaging technology in the diagnosis and study of Alzheimer’s disease

Neurological abnormalities identified via neuroimaging are common in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.However,it is not yet possible to easily detect these abnormalities using head computed tomography in the early stages of the disease.In this review,we evaluated the ways in which modern imaging techniques such as positron emission computed tomography,single photon emission tomography,magnetic resonance spectrum imaging,structural magnetic resonance imaging,magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging,magnetic resonance perfusion weighted imaging,magnetic resonance sensitive weighted imaging,and functional magnetic resonance imaging have revealed specific changes not only in brain structure,but also in brain function in Alzheimer’s disease patients.The reviewed literature indicated that decreased fluorodeoxyglucose metabolism in the temporal and parietal lobes of Alzheimer’s disease patients is frequently observed via positron emission computed tomography.Furthermore,patients with Alzheimer’s disease often show a decreased N-acetylaspartic acid/creatine ratio and an increased myoinositol/creatine ratio revealed via magnetic resonance imaging.Atrophy of the entorhinal cortex,hippocampus,and posterior cingulate gyrus can be detected early using structural magnetic resonance imaging.Magnetic resonance sensitive weighted imaging can show small bleeds and abnormal iron metabolism.Task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging can display brain function activity through cerebral blood oxygenation.Resting functional magnetic resonance imaging can display the functional connection between brain neural networks.These are helpful for the differential diagnosis and experimental study of Alzheimer’s disease,and are valuable for exploring the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Cyclometallated iridium phosphors with amino acid ancillary ligand for intracellular imaging

Two new iridium complexes, （dfppy）2Ir（L-alanine） （dfppy-2-（2,4-difluorophenyl）pyridine） and （piq）21r（L-alanine） （piq - 1-phenylisoquinoline） were prepared with L-alanine as ancillary ligand. The two complexes show bright greenish-blue and red emission respectively. Theoretic study demonstrated that the emission nature of these complexes is mainly determined by the main ligand. And their improved aqueous solubility and the retained quantum yield favor their application in cell imaging. Intracellular imaging suggested that these two complexes have fine cell membrane permeability and is mainly distributed in cytoplasm. This study displayed a new strategy to design aqueous soluble phosphorescent cyclometallated if（Ⅲ） complex via introducing amino acid as ancillary ligand.