This work was supported by funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH)&#39;s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [DJW, EDKS, and EMB were supported by Grant R21DA044501 awarded to Alan I. Green and DJW was supported by Grant T32DA037202 to Alan J. Budney] and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) [Grant F31AA028413 to Emily D. K. Sullivan]. Additional support was provided through Alan I. Green&#39;s endowed fund as the Raymond Sobel Professor of Psychiatry at Dartmouth.
Hanbing Lu is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, NIH.
The authors wish to acknowledge and thank the late Alan I. Green. His unwavering dedication to the field of co-occurring disorders helped to establish collaboration among the authors. We thank him for his mentorship and guidance, which will be greatly missed.

All experiments were performed on a 9.4 T MRI scanner, and were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at Dartmouth College. Additional approval was obtained to record and show the animals used in the video and figures below.
1. Preparations before scanning
<ol>
	<li>Subcutaneous infusion line
	<ol>
		<li>Partially remove a 23 G needle from its package so that the needle point remains sterile.</li>
		<li>Securely hold the hub of the needle and use a razor blade to score the needle shaft where it meets the hub.</li>
		<li>Clamp a needle holder around the shaft directly below the scoring and gently break the shaft from the hub.</li>
		<li>Insert 1/3 of the needle shaft (blunt end) into previously sterilized PE50 line with enough line length to extend from the drug pump to the animal inside the magnet bore.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Dilution of dexmedetomidine and atipamezole
	<ol>
		<li>Prepare a solution of diluted dexmedetomidine hydrochloride using 0.5 mL of 0.5 mg/mL stock mixed with 9.5 mL of sterile saline in a clear, sterile glass bottle (diluted concentration = 0.025 mg/mL).</li>
		<li>Prepare a solution of diluted atipamezole using 0.1 mL of 5 mg/mL stock mixed with 9.9 mL of sterile saline in a clear, sterile glass bottle (diluted concentration = 0.05 mg/mL).</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Scanning parameters
	<ol>
		<li>Use the parameters presented in Table 1 to prepare scanning sequences.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
2. Phase 1 anesthesia: Animal induction and preparation
<ol>
	<li>Setup
	<ol>
		<li>Ensure that all equipment is on and working properly including the oxygen and air mixer, heating pad, and active scavenging system (see Figure 1).</li>
		<li>Set the heating system&#39;s temperature set point to 37.5 &#176;C.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Animal induction
	<ol>
		<li>Place the animal (90-day old, male Sprague Dawley rat) in the induction chamber and induce anesthesia with 2.5% isoflurane in 30% oxygen-enriched air. 
		NOTE: A wide range of animal ages and both sexes can be used.</li>
		<li>Once the animal is anesthetized, remove it from the chamber, weigh the animal, and place it in the nose cone (at 2.5% isoflurane) on the heating pad in the preparation space.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Animal preparation
	<ol>
		<li>Apply ophthalmic lubricating ointment to each eye to prevent drying.</li>
		<li>Confirm the depth of anesthesia by a lack of toe pinch response.</li>
		<li>Use clippers to shave a 2&#34; by 2&#34; square area on the lower lumbar region of the animal&#39;s back (i.e., directly above the tail).</li>
		<li>Administer 0.015 mg/kg of the dexmedetomidine solution with an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection (e.g., a 300 g rat would receive 0.18 mL) into the lower right quadrant of the abdomen using a 25 G needle.</li>
		<li>Switch isoflurane flow from the preparation space to the animal cradle.</li>
		<li>Move the animal into the animal cradle. Place the rat&#39;s front teeth securely over and into the bite bar. Push the nose cone over the nose to ensure a tight fit. 
		NOTE: If the nose cone does not cover the lower jaw, use a paraffin film to gently hold the jaw closed while also sealing around the nose cone.</li>
		<li>Position the respiration pad under the rat&#39;s abdomen below the rib cage and re-position it until the respiration waveform shows a deep trough centered on each breath (see respiration waveform in Figure 2).</li>
		<li>Monitor the animal&#39;s breathing using the physiology monitoring software. Move to the next phase of anesthesia when respiration is less than 40 breaths/min (bpm; approximately 5 min after dexmedetomidine injection).</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
3. Phase 2 anesthesia: Animal setup
<ol>
	<li>Insert ear bars into the ear canal to stabilize the rat&#39;s head in the animal cradle. Once positioned, pull forward on the bite bar and confirm the head does not move. Re-adjust the nose cone and paraffin film as needed (see Figure 3a).</li>
	<li>Insert the temperature probe into a pre-lubricated, disposable probe cover. Gently insert the temperature probe approximately &#189;&#34; into the rectum, and tape it to the base of the tail with medical tape.</li>
	<li>Place the pulse oximeter clip onto the metatarsal area of the hind foot, ensuring the light source is on the bottom of the foot (palm). 
	NOTE: Rotation of the clip can affect the signal; thus, creating a holder to keep the paw and clip upright will lead to greater stability. Also note that until the rat is at normal body temperature, the oxygen saturation may be low (&#60;95%).</li>
	<li>Use the rat&#39;s weight to calculate the infusion rate to eject 0.015 mg/kg/h of dexmedetomidine (a 300 g rat receives 0.18 mL/h).</li>
	<li>Set the drug pump to eject the calculated infusion rate.</li>
	<li>Fill a 3 mL syringe with the sterile, diluted dexmedetomidine solution and insert the tip of the needle into the open end of the sterilized infusion line (extending from the drug pump to the animal cradle with the subcutaneous needle previously attached). Fill the line and secure the syringe in the syringe holder of the drug pump.</li>
	<li>Move the pusher block forward until it touches the plunger, and the drug is expelled at the needle, ensuring the infusion line is completely filled.</li>
	<li>Using an alcohol wipe, clean the shaved area to remove any stray hair.</li>
	<li>Pinch the skin approximately two finger widths above the base of the tail. Insert 1/3 of the infusion line needle into the tented skin.</li>
	<li>Secure the needle to the skin with a 3&#34; piece of wide medical tape. Place a second piece of wide medical tape over the first, across the rat, and attached to both sides of the animal cradle (see Figure 4). 
	NOTE: It is critically important that the ferromagnetic needle is well secured to prevent movement during the scan.</li>
	<li>Begin the infusion of subcutaneous dexmedetomidine.</li>
	<li>Place a piece of gauze on the bridge of the rat&#39;s nose to create a level surface for the coil. Use paper tape, which does not interfere with the MRI signal, to secure the coil to the rat&#39;s head, centering it over the brain (see Figure 3b,c).</li>
	<li>Secure all lines and cables within the animal cradle with lab tape and check whether all the physiology signals are stable (see Figure 2).</li>
	<li>Place paper towels over the animal, securing them to the animal cradle with laboratory tape. If using an air heating system, wrap a plastic sheet around the entire cradle to contain the warm air.</li>
	<li>Move the animal into the bore and tune the magnet.</li>
</ol>
4. Phase 3 anesthesia: Anatomical scan acquisition
<ol>
	<li>Reduce isoflurane to 1.5%, resulting in a steady increase in respiration to approximately 45-50 bpm. Remain at this level for the duration of the anatomical scanning.</li>
	<li>Use the FLASH localizer scan to ensure the brain is aligned with the magnet isocenter (Figure 5a). Reposition the animal and repeat if necessary.</li>
	<li>Run the higher resolution RARE localizer scan and use this scan output to align 15 sagittal slices centered across the brain (left to right, Figure 5b).</li>
	<li>Using the middle sagittal slice, align the center axial slice to the decussation of the anterior commissure, which appears as a dark spot (Figure 5c). Note the slice offset to use later in the resting-state scans.</li>
	<li>Acquire 23 slices using both the FLASH and RARE axial protocols to aid in registration to a common space during post-scan analysis.</li>
	<li>Shim across the whole brain using the PRESS sequence.</li>
</ol>
5. Phase 4: Resting-state scan acquisition
<ol>
	<li>After completing anatomical scans, reduce isoflurane to 0.5% to 0.75%, adjusting so that the animal&#39;s respiration is 60-65 breaths per minute. Remain at this level for at least 10 min before beginning resting-state scanning to ensure stability.</li>
	<li>When physiology is stable (respiration range is 60-75 bpm with no gasping or irregularities, core body temperature is 37.5 &#177; 1.0 &#176;C, and oxygen saturation is 95% or greater), acquire a 15 slice EPI scan using the same slice offset as the anatomical axial series.</li>
	<li>After each resting-state scan is complete, check the quality using an independent component analysis (ICA) to decompose the data into spatial and temporal components.</li>
	<li>Obtain at least three high-quality resting-state scans.</li>
</ol>
6. Post-scan recovery
<ol>
	<li>When scanning is complete, increase isoflurane to 2% and stop the subcutaneous dexmedetomidine infusion.</li>
	<li>Remove the animal cradle from the magnet bore, unwrap the animal, and remove ear bars, temperature probe, pulse oximeter clip, and the dexmedetomidine needle.</li>
	<li>Inject 0.015 mg/kg of the diluted atipamezole solution into the rat&#39;s hind leg muscle using a 1 mL syringe with a 25 G needle (i.e., a 300 g rat would receive 0.09 mL).</li>
	<li>Place the rat back in the home cage on top of a heating pad and monitor until the animal is ambulatory.</li>
</ol>

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A., Kiviniemi, V., Gr&#246;hn, O. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+connectivity+under+six+anesthesia+protocols+and+the+awake+condition+in+rat+brain.">Functional connectivity under six anesthesia protocols and the awake condition in rat brain.</a> NeuroImage. 172, 9-20 (2018).</li><li>Pawela, C. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

Stability of the animal, both physically and physiologically, is key to obtaining high-quality resting-state data. This protocol achieves stability by moving through four distinct phases of anesthesia. It is imperative that the animal has met the set physiological thresholds before moving to the next phase of anesthesia; since this method relies on physiological autoregulatory mechanisms, individual animals may require slightly different amounts of time at each anesthesia phase. It is our experience that taking more time...

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is a measure of the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal when the brain is at rest and not engaged in any particular task. These signals can be used to measure correlations between brain regions to determine the functional connectivity within neural networks. rs-fMRI is widely used in clinical studies due to its non-invasiveness and the low amount of effort required of patients (as compared to task-based fMRI) making it optimal for diverse patient populations1.
Technological advances have allowed rs-fMRI to be adapted for use in rodent models to uncover mechanisms underlying disease states (see reference2 for review). Preclinical animal models, including disease or knockout models, allow a wide range of experimental manipulations not applicable in humans, and studies can also make use of post-mortem samples to further enhance experiments2. Nevertheless, due to the difficulty in both limiting motion and mitigating stress, MRI acquisition in rodents is traditionally performed under anesthesia. Anesthetic agents, depending on their pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and molecular targets, influence brain blood flow, brain metabolism, and potentially affect neurovascular coupling pathways.
There have been numerous efforts to develop anesthetic protocols that preserve neurovascular coupling and brain network function3,4,5,6,7,8. We previously reported an anesthetic regime that applied a low dose of isoflurane along with a low dose of the &#945;2 adrenergic receptor agonist dexmedetomidine9. Rats under this method of anesthesia exhibited robust BOLD responses to whisker stimulation in regions consistent with established projection pathways (ventrolateral and ventromedial thalamic nuclei, primary and secondary somatosensory cortex); large-scale resting-state brain networks, including the default mode network10,11 and salience network12 have also been consistently detected. Furthermore, this anesthetic protocol allows for repeated imaging on the same animal, which is important for monitoring the disease progression and the effect of experimental manipulations longitudinally.
In the present study, we detail the experimental setup, animal preparation, and physiological monitoring procedures involved. In particular, we describe the specific anesthetic phases and acquisition of scans during each phase. Data quality is assessed following each resting-state scan. A brief summary of post-scan analysis is also included in the discussion. Laboratories interested in uncovering the potential of using rs-fMRI in rats will find this protocol useful.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>9.4T MRI</td>
			<td>Varian/Bruker</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Varian upgraded with Bruker console running Paravision 6.0.1 software</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Air-Oxygen Mixer</td>
			<td>Sechrist</td>
			<td>Model 3500CP-G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Analysis of Functional NeuroImages (AFNI)</td>
			<td>NIMH/NIH</td>
			<td>Version AFNI_18.3.03</td>
			<td>Freely available at: https://afni.nimh.nih.gov/</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Animal Cradle</td>
			<td>RAPID Biomedical</td>
			<td>LHRXGS-00563</td>
			<td>rat holder with bite bar, nose cone and ear bars</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Animal Physiology Monitoring &#38; Gating System</td>
			<td>SAII</td>
			<td>Model 1025</td>
			<td>MR-compatible system including oxygen saturation, temperature, respiration and fiber optic pulse oximetry add-on</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Antisedan (atipamezole hydrochloride)</td>
			<td>Patterson Veterinary</td>
			<td>07-867-7097</td>
			<td>Zoetis, Manufacturer Item #10000449</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ceramic MRI-Safe Scissors</td>
			<td>MRIequip.com</td>
			<td>MT-6003</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Clippers</td>
			<td>Patterson Veterinary</td>
			<td>07-882-1032</td>
			<td>Wahl touch-up trimmer combo kit, Manufacturer Item #09990-1201</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dexmedesed (dexmedetomidine hydrochloride)</td>
			<td>Patterson Veterinary</td>
			<td>07-893-1801</td>
			<td>Dechra Veterinary Products, Manufacturer Item#17033-005-10</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Digital Rectal Thermometer Covers</td>
			<td>Medline</td>
			<td>MDS9608</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FMRIB Software Library</td>
			<td>FMRIB</td>
			<td>MELODIC Version 3.15</td>
			<td>Freely available at: https://fsl.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/fsl/fslwiki</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Heating Pad</td>
			<td>Cara Inc.</td>
			<td>Model 50</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hemostat forceps, straight</td>
			<td>Kent Scientific</td>
			<td>INS750451-2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isoflurane</td>
			<td>Patterson Veterinary</td>
			<td>07-893-1389</td>
			<td>Patterson Private Label, Manufacturer Item #14043-0704-06</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isoflurane Vaporizer</td>
			<td>VetEquip Inc.</td>
			<td>911103</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lab Tape, 3/4&#34;</td>
			<td>VWR International</td>
			<td>89097-990</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Needles, 23 gauge</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>305145</td>
			<td>plastic hub removed</td>
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			<td>Parafilm Laboratory Film</td>
			<td>Patterson Veterinary</td>
			<td>07-893-0260</td>
			<td>Medline Industries Inc., Manufacturer Item #HSFHS234526A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Planar Surface Coil</td>
			<td>Bruker</td>
			<td>T12609</td>
			<td>2cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Polyethylene Tubing</td>
			<td>Braintree Scientific</td>
			<td>PE50 50FT</td>
			<td>0.023&#34; (inner diameter), 0.038&#34; (outer diameter)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Puralube Ophthalmic Ointment</td>
			<td>Patterson Veterinary</td>
			<td>07-888-2572</td>
			<td>Dechra Veterinary Products, Manufacturer Item #211-38</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sprague Dawley Rats</td>
			<td>Charles River</td>
			<td>400 SAS SD</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile 0.9% Saline Solution</td>
			<td>Patterson Veterinary</td>
			<td>07-892-4348</td>
			<td>Aspen Vet, Manufacturer Item #14208186</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile Alcohol Prep Pads</td>
			<td>Medline</td>
			<td>MDS090735</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Surgical Tape, 1&#34; (3M Durapore)</td>
			<td>Medline</td>
			<td>MMM15381Z</td>
			<td>3M Healthcare, &#34;wide medical tape&#34;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Surgical White Paper Tape, 1/2&#34; (3M Micropore)</td>
			<td>Medline</td>
			<td>MMM15300</td>
			<td>3M Healthcare</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Syringes, 1 mL w/ 25 gauge needle</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>309626</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Syringes, 3 mL</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>309657</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vented induction and scavenging system</td>
			<td>VetEquip Inc.</td>
			<td>942102</td>
			<td>2 liter induction chamber with active scavenging</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>411724</td>
			<td>omega flowmeter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>931600</td>
			<td>scavenging cube, &#34;vacuum&#34;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>921616</td>
			<td>nose cone, non-rebreathing</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

acquisition of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data in the rat

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 &#945;2 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.

Following each resting-state scan, stability is assessed using an independent component analysis (ICA; example script included in Supplementary Files). Figure 6 shows examples of component outputs from resting-state scans. Figure 6a shows a signal component from a scan with high stability. Note that spatially, the component has high regionality. Within the time course below the spatial component, the signal is stable and not predictable, indicat...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Acquisition of Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data in the Rat at JoVE.com

Acquisition of Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data in the Rat

This protocol describes a method for obtaining stable resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from a rat using low dose isoflurane in combination with low dose dexmedetomidine.

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has become an increasingly popular method to study brain function in a resting, non-task ...

acquisition-resting-state-functional-magnetic-resonance-imaging-data

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

4.1K Views.  Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. This protocol describes a method for obtaining stable resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from a rat using low dose isoflurane in combination with low dose dexmedetomidine.

Video: Acquisition of Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data in the Rat

Multiple-mouse Neuroanatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The field of mouse phenotyping with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is rapidly growing, motivated by the need for improved tools for characterizing and evaluating mouse models of human disease. MRI is an excellent modality for investigating genetically altered animals. It is capable of whole brain coverage, can be used in vivo, and provides multiple contrast mechanisms for investigating different aspects of neuranatomy and physiology. The advent of high-field scanners along with the ability to scan multiple mice simultaneously allows for rapid phenotyping of novel mutations.
Effective mouse MRI studies require attention to many aspects of experiment design. In this article, we will describe general methods to acquire quality images for mouse phenotyping using a system that images mice concurrently in shielded transmit/receive radio frequency (RF) coils in a common magnet (Bock et al., 2003). We focus particularly on anatomical phenotyping, an important and accessible application that has shown a high potential for impact in many mouse models at our imaging centre. Before we can provide the detailed steps to acquire such images, there are important practical considerations for both in vivo brain imaging (Dazai et al., 2004) and ex vivo brain imaging (Spring et al., 2007) that should be noted. These are discussed below.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an increasingly popular tool for examining the phenotype of genetically altered mice. This article illustrates the methods necessary to achieve high-throughput phenotyping of genetically altered mice using multiple-mouse MRI.

The field of mouse phenotyping with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is rapidly growing, motivated by the need for improved tools for characterizing and ...

High-resolution Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods for Human Midbrain

Functional MRI (fMRI) is a widely used tool for non-invasively measuring correlates of human brain activity. However, its use has mostly been focused upon measuring activity on the surface of cerebral cortex rather than in subcortical regions such as midbrain and brainstem. Subcortical fMRI must overcome two challenges: spatial resolution and physiological noise. Here we describe an optimized set of techniques developed to perform high-resolution fMRI in human SC, a structure on the dorsal surface of the midbrain; the methods can also be used to image other brainstem and subcortical structures.
High-resolution (1.2 mm voxels) fMRI of the SC requires a non-conventional approach. The desired spatial sampling is obtained using a multi-shot (interleaved) spiral acquisition1. Since, T2* of SC tissue is longer than in cortex, a correspondingly longer echo time (TE ~ 40 msec) is used to maximize functional contrast. To cover the full extent of the SC, 8-10 slices are obtained. For each session a structural anatomy with the same slice prescription as the fMRI is also obtained, which is used to align the functional data to a high-resolution reference volume.
In a separate session, for each subject, we create a high-resolution (0.7 mm sampling) reference volume using a T1-weighted sequence that gives good tissue contrast. In the reference volume, the midbrain region is segmented using the ITK-SNAP software application2. This segmentation is used to create a 3D surface representation of the midbrain that is both smooth and accurate3. The surface vertices and normals are used to create a map of depth from the midbrain surface within the tissue4.
Functional data is transformed into the coordinate system of the segmented reference volume. Depth associations of the voxels enable the averaging of fMRI time series data within specified depth ranges to improve signal quality. Data is rendered on the 3D surface for visualization.
In our lab we use this technique for measuring topographic maps of visual stimulation and covert and overt visual attention within the SC1. As an example, we demonstrate the topographic representation of polar angle to visual stimulation in SC.

This article describes techniques to perform high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging with 1.2 mm sampling in human midbrain and subcortical structures using a 3T scanner. Use of these techniques to resolve topographic maps of visual stimulation in the human superior colliculus (SC) is given as an example.

Functional MRI (fMRI) is a widely used tool for non-invasively measuring correlates of human brain activity. However, its use has mostly been focused upon ...

The Use of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy as a Tool for the Measurement of Bi-hemispheric Transcranial Electric Stimulation Effects on Primary Motor Cortex Metabolism

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique that has been increasingly used over the past decade in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders such as stroke and depression. Yet, the mechanisms underlying its ability to modulate brain excitability to improve clinical symptoms remains poorly understood 33. To help improve this understanding, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) can be used as it allows the in vivo quantification of brain metabolites such as &#947;-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in a region-specific manner 41. In fact, a recent study demonstrated that 1H-MRS is indeed a powerful means to better understand the effects of tDCS on neurotransmitter concentration 34. This article aims to describe the complete protocol for combining tDCS (NeuroConn MR compatible stimulator) with 1H-MRS at 3 T using a MEGA-PRESS sequence. We will describe the impact of a protocol that has shown great promise for the treatment of motor dysfunctions after stroke, which consists of bilateral stimulation of primary motor cortices 27,30,31. Methodological factors to consider and possible modifications to the protocol are also discussed.

This article aims to describe a basic protocol for combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) measurements to investigate the effects of bilateral stimulation on primary motor cortex metabolism.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique that has been increasingly used over the past decade in the treatment of ...

High-resolution Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Human Subcortex In Vivo and Postmortem

The focus of this study was to test the resolution limits of structural MRI of a postmortem brain compared to living human brains. The resolution of structural MRI in vivo is ultimately limited by physiological noise, including pulsation, respiration and head movement. Although imaging hardware continues to improve, it is still difficult to resolve structures on the millimeter scale. For example, the primary visual sensory pathways synapse at the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), a visual relay and control nucleus in the thalamus that normally is organized into six interleaved monocular layers. Neuroimaging studies have not been able to reliably distinguish these layers due their small size that are less than 1 mm thick.
The resolving limit of structural MRI, in a postmortem brain was tested using multiple images averaged over a long duration (~24 h). The purpose was to test whether it was possible to resolve the individual layers of the LGN in the absence of physiological noise. A proton density (PD)1 weighted pulse sequence was used with varying resolution and other parameters to determine the minimum number of images necessary to be registered and averaged to reliably distinguish the LGN and other subcortical regions. The results were also compared to images acquired in living human brains. In vivo subjects were scanned in order to determine the additional effects of physiological noise on the minimum number of PD scans needed to differentiate subcortical structures, useful in clinical applications.

High-resolution Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Human Subcortex In Vivo and Postmortem

Here we present a protocol to determine the minimum number images that needed to be registered and averaged to resolve subcortical structures and test whether the individual layers of the LGN could be resolved in the absence of physiological noise.

The focus of this study was to test the resolution limits of structural MRI of a postmortem brain compared to living human brains. The resolution of ...

Microstate and Omega Complexity Analyses of the Resting-state Electroencephalography

Microstate and omega complexity are two reference-free electroencephalography (EEG) measures that can represent the temporal and spatial complexities of EEG data and have been widely used to investigate the neural mechanisms in some brain disorders. The goal of this article is to describe the protocol underlying EEG microstate and omega complexity analyses step by step. The main advantage of these two measures is that they could eliminate the reference-dependent problem inherent to traditional spectrum analysis. In addition, microstate analysis makes good use of high time resolution of resting-state EEG, and the four obtained microstate classes could match the corresponding resting-state networks respectively. The omega complexity characterizes the spatial complexity of the whole brain or specific brain regions, which has obvious advantage compared with traditional complexity measures focusing on the signal complexity in a single channel. These two EEG measures could complement each other to investigate the brain complexity from the temporal and spatial domain respectively.

This article describes the protocol underlying electroencephalography (EEG) microstate analysis and omega complexity analysis, which are two reference-free EEG measures and highly valuable to explore the neural mechanisms of brain disorders.

Microstate and omega complexity are two reference-free electroencephalography (EEG) measures that can represent the temporal and spatial complexities of ...

Functional Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy at 7 T in the Rat Barrel Cortex During Whisker Activation

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy offers the opportunity to measure cerebral metabolite contents in vivo and noninvasively. Thanks to technological developments over the last decade and the increase in magnetic field strength, it is now possible to obtain good resolution spectra in vivo in the rat brain. Neuroenergetics (i.e., the study of brain metabolism) and, especially, metabolic interactions between the different cell types have attracted more and more interest in recent years. Among these metabolic interactions, the existence of a lactate shuttle between neurons and astrocytes is still debated. It is, thus, of great interest to perform functional proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in a rat model of brain activation and monitor lactate. However, the methyl lactate peak overlaps lipid resonance peaks and is difficult to quantify. The protocol described below allows metabolic and lactate fluctuations to be monitored in an activated brain area. Cerebral activation is obtained by whisker stimulation and 1H-MRS is performed in the corresponding activated barrel cortex, whose area is detected using blood-oxygen-level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD fMRI). All steps are fully described: the choice of anesthetics, coils, and sequences, achieving efficient whisker stimulation directly in the magnet, and data processing.

After checking by blood-oxygen-level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD fMRI) that the corresponding somatosensory barrel field cortex area (called S1BF) is correctly activated, the main goal of this study is to quantify lactate content fluctuations in the activated rat brains by localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) at 7 T.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy offers the opportunity to measure cerebral metabolite contents in vivo and noninvasively. Thanks to ...

Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Chronic Spinal Cord Compression

Chronic spinal cord compression is the most common cause of spinal cord impairment in patients with nontraumatic spinal cord damage. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in both confirming the diagnosis and evaluating the degree of compression. However, the anatomical detail provided by conventional MRI is not sufficient to accurately estimate neuronal damage and/or assess the possibility of neuronal recovery in chronic spinal cord compression patients. In contrast, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can provide quantitative results according to the detection of water molecule diffusion in tissues. In the present study, we develop a methodological framework to illustrate the application of DTI in chronic spinal cord compression disease. DTI fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs), and eigenvector values are useful for visualizing microstructural pathological changes in the spinal cord. Decreased FA and increases in ADCs and eigenvector values were observed in chronic spinal cord compression patients compared to healthy controls. DTI could help surgeons understand spinal cord injury severity and provide important information regarding prognosis and neural functional recovery. In conclusion, this protocol provides a sensitive, detailed, and noninvasive tool to evaluate spinal cord compression.

Here, we present a protocol for the application of diffusion tensor imaging parameters to evaluate spinal cord compression.

Chronic spinal cord compression is the most common cause of spinal cord impairment in patients with nontraumatic spinal cord damage. Conventional magnetic ...

Reliable Acquisition of Electroencephalography Data during Simultaneous Electroencephalography and Functional MRI

Simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), EEG-fMRI, combines the complementary properties of scalp EEG (good temporal resolution) and fMRI (good spatial resolution) to measure neuronal activity during an electrographic event, through hemodynamic responses known as blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) changes. It is a non-invasive research tool that is utilized in neuroscience research and is highly beneficial to the clinical community, especially for the management of neurological diseases, provided that proper equipment and protocols are administered during data acquisition. Although recording EEG-fMRI is apparently straightforward, the correct preparation, especially in placing and securing the electrodes, is not only important for safety but is also critical in ensuring the reliability and analyzability of the EEG data obtained. This is also the most experience-demanding part of the preparation. To address these issues, a straightforward protocol that ensures data quality was developed. This article provides a step-by-step guide for acquiring reliable EEG data during EEG-fMRI using this protocol that utilizes readily available medical products. The presented protocol can be adapted to different applications of EEG-fMRI in research and clinical settings, and may be beneficial to both inexperienced and expert operators.

This article provides a straightforward protocol for acquiring good quality electroencephalography (EEG) data during simultaneous EEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging by utilizing readily available medical products.

Simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), EEG-fMRI, combines the complementary properties of scalp EEG ...

Standardized Data Acquisition for Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Substantia Nigra

The dopaminergic system plays a crucial role in healthy cognition (e.g., reward learning and uncertainty) and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia). Neuromelanin is a byproduct of dopamine synthesis that accumulates in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) is a noninvasive method for measuring neuromelanin in those dopaminergic neurons, providing a direct measure of dopaminergic cell loss in the substantia nigra and a proxy measure of dopamine function. Although NM-MRI has been shown to be useful for studying various neuropsychiatric disorders, it is challenged by a limited field-of-view in the inferior-superior direction resulting in the potential loss of data from the accidental exclusion of part of the substantia nigra. In addition, the field is lacking a standardized protocol for the acquisition of NM-MRI data, a critical step in facilitating large-scale multisite studies and translation into the clinic. This protocol describes a step-by-step NM-MRI volume placement procedure and online quality control checks to ensure the acquisition of good-quality data covering the entire substantia nigra.

This protocol shows how to acquire neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging data of the substantia nigra.

The dopaminergic system plays a crucial role in healthy cognition (e.g., reward learning and uncertainty) and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., ...

Whole-Brain Single-Cell Imaging and Analysis of Intact Neonatal Mouse Brains Using MRI, Tissue Clearing, and Light-Sheet Microscopy

Tissue clearing followed by light-sheet microscopy (LSFM) enables cellular-resolution imaging of intact brain structure, allowing quantitative analysis of structural changes caused by genetic or environmental perturbations. Whole-brain imaging results in more accurate quantification of cells and the study of region-specific differences that may be missed with commonly used microscopy of physically sectioned tissue. Using light-sheet microscopy to image cleared brains greatly increases acquisition speed as compared to confocal microscopy. Although these images produce very large amounts of brain structural data, most computational tools that perform feature quantification in images of cleared tissue are limited to counting sparse cell populations, rather than all nuclei.
Here, we demonstrate NuMorph (Nuclear-Based Morphometry), a group of analysis tools, to quantify all nuclei and nuclear markers within annotated regions of a postnatal day 4 (P4) mouse brain after clearing and imaging on a light-sheet microscope. We describe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure brain volume prior to shrinkage caused by tissue clearing dehydration steps, tissue clearing using the iDISCO+ method, including immunolabeling, followed by light-sheet microscopy using a commercially available platform to image mouse brains at cellular resolution. We then demonstrate this image analysis pipeline using NuMorph, which is used to correct intensity differences, stitch image tiles, align multiple channels, count nuclei, and annotate brain regions through registration to publicly available atlases.
We designed this approach using publicly available protocols and software, allowing any researcher with the necessary microscope and computational resources to perform these techniques. These tissue clearing, imaging, and computational tools allow measurement and quantification of the three-dimensional (3D) organization of cell-types in the cortex and should be widely applicable to any wild-type/knockout mouse study design.

This protocol describes methods for conducting magnetic resonance imaging, clearing, and immunolabeling of intact mouse brains using iDISCO+, followed by a detailed description of imaging using light-sheet microscopy, and downstream analyses using NuMorph.

Tissue clearing followed by light-sheet microscopy (LSFM) enables cellular-resolution imaging of intact brain structure, allowing quantitative analysis of ...