Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in APP transgenic mice: a cohort study

PLoS One. 2013 Jun 28;8(6):e67630. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067630. Print 2013.

Abstract

Introduction: Fast in-vivo high resolution diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the mouse brain has recently been shown to enable cohort studies by the combination of appropriate pulse sequences and cryogenically cooled resonators (CCR). The objective of this study was to apply this DTI approach at the group level to β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice.

Methods: Twelve mice (5 wild type, 7 APP transgenic tg2576) underwent DTI examination at 156(2) × 250 µm(3) spatial resolution with a CCR at ultrahigh field (11.7 T). Diffusion images were acquired along 30 gradient directions plus 5 references without diffusion encoding with a total acquisition time of 35 minutes. Fractional anisotropy (FA) maps were statistically compared by whole brain-based spatial statistics (WBSS) at the group level vs. wild type controls.

Results: FA-map comparison showed characteristic regional patterns of differences between the groups with localizations associated with Alzheimer's disease in humans, such as the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex, and the caudoputamen.

Conclusion: In this proof-of-principle study, regions associated with amyloid-β deposition could be identified by WBSS of FA maps in APP transgenic mice vs. wild type mice. Thus, DTI in the mouse brain acquired at 11.7 T by use of a CCR was demonstrated to be feasible for cohort studies.

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / genetics*
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Anisotropy
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain Mapping / methods
  • Cohort Studies
  • Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging / methods*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor

Grants and funding

These authors have no support or funding to report.