MRI-based assessment of function and dysfunction in myelinated axons.

ABSTRACT: Repetitive electrical activity produces microstructural alteration in myelinated axons, which may afford the opportunity to noninvasively monitor function of myelinated fibers in peripheral nervous system (PNS)/CNS pathways. Microstructural changes were assessed via two different magnetic-resonance-based approaches: diffusion fMRI and dynamic T₂ spectroscopy in the ex vivo perfused bullfrog sciatic nerves. Using this robust, classical model as a platform for testing, we demonstrate that noninvasive diffusion fMRI, based on standard diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), can clearly localize the sites of axonal conduction blockage as might be encountered in neurotrauma or other lesion types. It is also shown that the diffusion fMRI response is graded in proportion to the total number of

SUBMITTER: Spees WM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6205472 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature