[11C]EKAP

[11C]EKAP is a radiolabeled small molecule and positron emission tomography (PET) tracer specifically designed for the in vivo imaging and quantification of kappa opioid receptors (KOR) in the human brain. Developed primarily by researchers at the Yale PET Center, [11C]EKAP acts as a selective KOR agonist. It is utilized in clinical research to investigate the role of the kappa opioid system in various neuropsychiatric and behavioral conditions, including disordered eating behaviors (DEB), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and borderline personality disorder (BPD). By measuring the binding potential of the tracer, researchers can assess KOR availability and distribution, providing insights into interoceptive awareness, stress regulation, and reward processing deficits associated with these disorders.