During the last decades,advances in the understanding of genetic,cellular,and microstructural alterations associated to Huntington's disease(HD)have improved the understanding of this progressive and fatal illness...During the last decades,advances in the understanding of genetic,cellular,and microstructural alterations associated to Huntington's disease(HD)have improved the understanding of this progressive and fatal illness.However,events related to early neuropathological events,neuroinflammation,deterioration of neuronal connectivity and compensatory mechanisms still remain vastly unknown.Ultra-high field diffusion MRI(UHFD-MRI)techniques can contribute to a more comprehensive analysis of the early microstructural changes observed in HD.In addition,it is possible to evaluate if early imaging microstructural parameters might be linked to histological biomarkers.Moreover,qualitative studies analyzing histological complexity in brain areas susceptible to neurodegeneration could provide information on inflammatory events,compensatory increase of neuroconnectivity and mechanisms of brain repair and regeneration.The application of ultra-high field diffusion-MRI technology in animal models,particularly the R6/1 mice(a common preclinical mammalian model of HD),provide the opportunity to analyze alterations in a physiologically intact model of the disease.Although some disparities in volumetric changes across different brain structures between preclinical and clinical models has been documented,further application of different diffusion MRI techniques used in combination like diffusion tensor imaging,and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging have proved effective in characterizing early parameters associated to alteration in water diffusion exchange within intracellular and extracellular compartments in brain white and grey matter.Thus,the combination of diffusion MRI imaging techniques and more complex neuropathological analysis could accelerate the discovery of new imaging biomarkers and the early diagnosis and neuromonitoring of patients affected with HD.展开更多
了解年老过程中大脑在细胞水平上发生的变化对于揭示老年人认知功能下降的原因有重要意义。扩散MRI(diffusion MRI,d MRI)技术是目前惟一可以无创探查活体组织微观结构的方法。扩散张量成像(DTI,diffusion tensor imaging)是临床上最常...了解年老过程中大脑在细胞水平上发生的变化对于揭示老年人认知功能下降的原因有重要意义。扩散MRI(diffusion MRI,d MRI)技术是目前惟一可以无创探查活体组织微观结构的方法。扩散张量成像(DTI,diffusion tensor imaging)是临床上最常用的一种d MRI技术,但是由于某些固有缺陷,它不能充分刻画大脑组织的微观结构。作者介绍三种可以有效弥补DTI不足的新型扩散成像方法:扩散峰度成像(diffusion kurtosis imaging,DKI),扩散的受阻受限合成模型(composite hindered and restricted model of diffusion,CHARMED)和神经突方向离散度与密度成像(neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging,NODDI)。联合使用DTI和这些新技术,研究者可以更深入地了解年老如何影响大脑的微观结构。展开更多
基金supported in part by the High Magnetic Field Laboratory(NHMFL)and Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy(AMRIS)under Magnetic Laboratory Visiting Scientist Program Award,No.VSP#327(to RG)。
文摘During the last decades,advances in the understanding of genetic,cellular,and microstructural alterations associated to Huntington's disease(HD)have improved the understanding of this progressive and fatal illness.However,events related to early neuropathological events,neuroinflammation,deterioration of neuronal connectivity and compensatory mechanisms still remain vastly unknown.Ultra-high field diffusion MRI(UHFD-MRI)techniques can contribute to a more comprehensive analysis of the early microstructural changes observed in HD.In addition,it is possible to evaluate if early imaging microstructural parameters might be linked to histological biomarkers.Moreover,qualitative studies analyzing histological complexity in brain areas susceptible to neurodegeneration could provide information on inflammatory events,compensatory increase of neuroconnectivity and mechanisms of brain repair and regeneration.The application of ultra-high field diffusion-MRI technology in animal models,particularly the R6/1 mice(a common preclinical mammalian model of HD),provide the opportunity to analyze alterations in a physiologically intact model of the disease.Although some disparities in volumetric changes across different brain structures between preclinical and clinical models has been documented,further application of different diffusion MRI techniques used in combination like diffusion tensor imaging,and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging have proved effective in characterizing early parameters associated to alteration in water diffusion exchange within intracellular and extracellular compartments in brain white and grey matter.Thus,the combination of diffusion MRI imaging techniques and more complex neuropathological analysis could accelerate the discovery of new imaging biomarkers and the early diagnosis and neuromonitoring of patients affected with HD.
文摘了解年老过程中大脑在细胞水平上发生的变化对于揭示老年人认知功能下降的原因有重要意义。扩散MRI(diffusion MRI,d MRI)技术是目前惟一可以无创探查活体组织微观结构的方法。扩散张量成像(DTI,diffusion tensor imaging)是临床上最常用的一种d MRI技术,但是由于某些固有缺陷,它不能充分刻画大脑组织的微观结构。作者介绍三种可以有效弥补DTI不足的新型扩散成像方法:扩散峰度成像(diffusion kurtosis imaging,DKI),扩散的受阻受限合成模型(composite hindered and restricted model of diffusion,CHARMED)和神经突方向离散度与密度成像(neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging,NODDI)。联合使用DTI和这些新技术,研究者可以更深入地了解年老如何影响大脑的微观结构。
