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Functional magnetic resonance imaging in rodents: Methodology and application to spinal cord injury
Author(s) -
Ramu Jaivijay,
Bockhorst Kurt H.,
Mogatadakala Kishore V.,
Narayana Ponnada A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.21030
Subject(s) - thalamus , spinal cord , putamen , functional magnetic resonance imaging , neuroscience , somatosensory system , medicine , cortex (anatomy) , hippocampus , magnetic resonance imaging , spinal cord injury , anatomy , psychology , radiology
Functional MRI (fMRI) on spinal cord‐injured rodents at 4 and 8 weeks post injury (PI) is described. The paradigm for fMRI, based on electrical stimulation of rat paws, was automated using an in‐house designed microprocessor‐based controller that was interfaced to a stimulator. The MR images were spatially normalized to the Paxinos and Watson atlas using publicly available digital images of the cryosections. In normal uninjured animals, the activation was confined to the contralateral somatosensory cortex. In contrast, in injured animals, extensive activation, which included structures such as ipsilateral cortex, thalamus, hippocampus, and the caudate putamen, was observed at 4 and 8 weeks PI. Quantitative cluster analysis was carried out to calculate the volumes and centers of activation in individual brain structures. Based on this analysis, significant increase in activation between 4 and 8 weeks was observed only in the ipsilateral caudate putamen and thalamus. These studies suggest extensive and ongoing brain reorganization in spinal cord‐injured animals. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.