Publication
Title
Morphologic and functional changes in the unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion rat model for Parkinsons disease discerned with SPECT and quantitative MRI
Author
Abstract
In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of neurodegeneration of the nigrostriatal tract in a rodent model of Parkinson's disease on the different MR contrasts (T(2), T(1), CBF and CBV) measured in the striatum. Animals were injected with 6-hydroxydopamine (6OHDA) in the substantia nigra resulting in massive loss of nigrostriatal neurons and hence dopamine depletion in the ipsilateral striatum. Using 7T MRI imaging, we have quantified T(2), T(1), CBF and CBV in the striata of 6OHDA and control rats. To validate the lesion size, behavioral testing, dopamine transporter mu SPECT and tyrosine hydroxylase staining were performed. No significant differences were demonstrated in the absolute MRI values between 6OHDA animals and controls; however, 6OHDA animals showed significant striatal asymmetry for all MRI parameters in contrast to controls. These PD-related asymmetry ratios might be the result of counteracting changes in both intact and affected striatum and allowed us to diagnose PD lesions. As lateralization is known to occur also in PD patients and might be expected in transgenic PD models as well, we propose that MR-derived asymmetry ratios in the striatum might be a useful tool for in vivo phenotyping of animal models of PD.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Magnetic resonance materials in physics, biology and medicine. - New York
Publication
New York : 2010
ISSN
1352-8661 [online]
0968-5243 [print]
DOI
10.1007/S10334-010-0198-7
Volume/pages
23 :2 (2010) , p. 65-75
ISI
000276723000001
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 17.05.2010
Last edited 23.08.2022
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