[18F]VAT

[18F]VAT is a positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceutical and small molecule radioligand developed by Stony Brook University. It specifically targets the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), a protein located on the membranes of cholinergic synaptic vesicles that serves as a marker for presynaptic cholinergic terminal density and acetylcholine transmission capacity. In clinical research, particularly for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), [18F]VAT is utilized as a diagnostic imaging agent to evaluate central cholinergic dysfunction and monitor changes in cholinergic tone following therapeutic interventions, such as transdermal nicotine treatment. By labeling the compound with the radioisotope fluorine-18, researchers can non-invasively map and quantify cholinergic nerve cell activity in the brain.

Other names

18F-VAT-Stony Brook University-Major Depressive Disorder