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Measuring diffusion parameters in the brain: comparing the real‐time iontophoretic method and diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance
Author(s) -
Vorisek I.,
Sykova E.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta physiologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.591
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1748-1716
pISSN - 1748-1708
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-1716.2008.01924.x
Subject(s) - iontophoresis , diffusion , effective diffusion coefficient , tortuosity , tetramethylammonium , magnetic resonance imaging , extracellular , nuclear magnetic resonance , chemistry , biomedical engineering , neuroscience , ion , medicine , physics , psychology , biochemistry , radiology , organic chemistry , porosity , thermodynamics
The extracellular space (ECS) diffusion parameters influence the movement of ions, neuroactive substances, hormones and metabolites in the nervous tissue. They also affect extrasynaptic transmission, a mode of signal transmission dependent solely on diffusion. This review compares in detail two methods for studying diffusion in the brain: the real‐time iontophoretic tetramethylammonium method for ECS volume fraction and tortuosity measurements and diffusion weighted‐magnetic resonance imaging for measuring the apparent diffusion coefficient of water. The results obtained using both methods under physiological conditions (post‐natal development, ageing) or in pathologies (brain injury, ischaemia) and their similarities and differences are discussed.