Using the magnetoencephalogram to noninvasively measure magnetite in the living human brain.

ABSTRACT: During the past several decades there has been much interest in the existence of magnetite particles in the human brain and their accumulation with age. These particles also appear to play an important role in neurodegenerative diseases of the brain. However, up to now the amount and distribution of these particles has been measured only in post-mortem brain tissue. Although in-vivo MRI measurements do show iron compounds generally, MRI cannot separate them according to their magnetic phases, which are associated with their chemical interactions. In contrast, we here offer a new noninvasive, in-vivo method which is selectively sensitive only to particles which can be strongly magnetized. We magnetize these particles with a strong magnetic field through the head, and then measure the result

SUBMITTER: Khan S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6587731 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature