Open AccessAcquisition of Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data in the Rat
Author(s) -
Diana Wallin,
Emily D. K. Sullivan,
Elise M. Bragg,
Jibran Y. Khokhar,
Hanbing Lu,
Wilder T. Doucette
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of visualized experiments
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 91
ISSN - 1940-087X
DOI - 10.3791/62596
Subject(s) - resting state fmri , functional magnetic resonance imaging , neuroscience , isoflurane , protocol (science) , data acquisition , magnetic resonance imaging , computer science , medicine , anesthesia , biology , pathology , alternative medicine , radiology , operating system
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has become an increasingly popular method to study brain function in a resting, non-task state. This protocol describes a preclinical survival method for obtaining rs-fMRI data. Combining low dose isoflurane with continuous infusion of the α2 adrenergic receptor agonist dexmedetomidine provides a robust option for stable, high-quality data acquisition while preserving brain network function. Furthermore, this procedure allows for spontaneous breathing and near-normal physiology in the rat. Additional imaging sequences can be combined with resting-state acquisition creating experimental protocols with anesthetic stability of up to 5 h using this method. This protocol describes the setup of equipment, monitoring of rat physiology during four distinct phases of anesthesia, acquisition of resting-state scans, quality assessment of data, recovery of the animal, and a brief discussion of post-processing data analysis. This protocol can be used across a wide variety of preclinical rodent models to help reveal the resulting brain network changes that occur at rest.