A selection of early discoveries in the TSPO field.Abbreviations: ACTH = adrenocorticotropic hormone; AD = Alzheimer's disease; ADC = adenine nucleotide carrier; ANT = adenine nucleotide translocator; CSF = cerebrospinal fluid; DRG = dorsal root ganglion; MPTP = mitochondrial permeability transition pore; PBR = peripheral benzodiazepine receptor; PET = positron emission tomography; TNF = tumor necrosis factor; TSPO = 18 kDa translocator protein; VDAC = voltage‐dependent anion channel. The gene discussed is VDAC1; the disease is early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease.