11C-L-deuteriodeprenyl

**11C-L-deuteriodeprenyl** is a radiolabeled small molecule used as a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for in vivo imaging of astrocytosis, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and temporal lobe epilepsy. It is a deuterated analog of L-deprenyl (selegiline), labeled with carbon-11. The compound binds selectively and irreversibly to monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), an enzyme predominantly located in astrocytes within the brain. By acting as a suicide inhibitor, it forms a covalent bond with MAO-B during normal catalytic activity, allowing visualization of reactive astrocytosis—a process associated with neuronal injury and neurodegeneration—via PET imaging. This tracer has been used to study intermediate processes between amyloid deposition and neuronal loss, providing insights into disease mechanisms and potential monitoring of therapeutic interventions[1][6][8].

Other names

11C-L: -DED