Fractional anisotropy from diffusion tensor imaging correlates with acute astrocyte and myelin swelling in neonatal swine models of excitotoxic and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

ABSTRACT: The specific cytopathology that causes abnormal fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is not completely understood. The panoply of cell types in the brain might contribute differentially to changes in DTI metrics. Because glia are the predominant cell type in brain, we hypothesized that changes in FA and MD would signify perturbations in glial microstructure. Using a 3-Tesla clinical scanner, we conducted in vivo DTI MRI in nine neonatal piglets at 20-96 h after excitotoxic brain injury from striatal quinolinic acid injection or global HI. FA and MD from putamen, caudate, and internal capsule in toto were correlated with astrocyte swelling, neuronal excitotoxicity, and white matter injury. Low FA correl

SUBMITTER: Lee JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8113130 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature