Sexual Dimorphism in Extracellular Matrix Composition and Viscoelasticity of the Healthy and Inflamed Mouse Brain.

ABSTRACT: Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has revealed sexual dimorphism in brain stiffness in healthy individuals and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. In an animal model of MS, named experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), we have previously shown that inflammation-induced brain softening was associated with alterations of the extracellular matrix (ECM). However, it remained unclear whether the brain ECM presents sex-specific properties that can be visualized by MRE. Therefore, here we aimed at quantifying sexual dimorphism in brain viscoelasticity in association with ECM changes in healthy and inflamed brains. Multifrequency MRE was applied to the midbrain of healthy and EAE mice of both sexes to quantitatively map regional stiffness. To define differences in brain ECM composition,

SUBMITTER: Batzdorf CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8869215 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature