Dose-dependent effect of isoflurane on neurovascular coupling in rat cerebral cortex

Isoflurane anesthesia does not affect spinal cord neurovascular coupling: evidence from decerebrated rats

Neurological examination remains the primary clinical investigation in patients with spinal cord injury. However, neuroimaging methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are promising tools for following functional changes in the course of injury, disease and rehabilitation. However, the relationship between neuronal activity and blood flow in the spinal cord on which fMRI relies has been largely overlooked. The objective of this study was to examine neurovascular coupling in the spinal cord of decerebrated rats during electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve with and without isoflurane anesthesia (1.2%). Local field potentials (LFP) and spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) were recorded simultaneously in the lumbosacral enlargement. Isoflurane did not significantly alter LFP (p = 0.53) and SCBF (p = 0.57) amplitude. Accordingly, neurovascular coupling remained comparable with or without isoflurane anesthesia (p = 0.39). These results support the use of isoflurane in rodents to investigate nociceptive functions of the spinal cord using fMRI.

Altered Forebrain Functional Connectivity and Neurotransmission in a Kinase-Inactive Met Mouse Model of Autism

MET, the gene encoding the tyrosine kinase receptor for hepatocyte growth factor, is a susceptibility gene for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Genetically altered mice with a kinase-inactive Met offer a potential model for understanding neural circuit organization changes in autism. Here, we focus on the somatosensory thalamocortical circuitry because distinct somatosensory sensitivity phenotypes accompany ASD, and this system plays a major role in sensorimotor and social behaviors in mice. We employed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and in vivo high-resolution proton MR spectroscopy to examine neuronal connectivity and neurotransmission of wild-type, heterozygous Met-Emx1, and fully inactive homozygous Met-Emx1 mice. Met-Emx1 brains showed impaired maturation of large-scale somatosensory network connectivity when compared with wild-type controls. Significant sex × genotype interaction in both network features and glutamate/gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) balance was observed. Female Met-Emx1 brains showed significant connectivity and glutamate/GABA balance changes in the somatosensory thalamocortical system when compared with wild-type brains. The glutamate/GABA ratio in the thalamus was correlated with the connectivity between the somatosensory cortex and the thalamus in heterozygous Met-Emx1 female brains. The findings support the hypothesis that aberrant functioning of the somatosensory thalamocortical system is at the core of the conspicuous somatosensory behavioral phenotypes observed in Met-Emx1 mice.

Vascular Gap Junctions Contribute to Forepaw Stimulation-Induced Vasodilation Differentially in the Pial and Penetrating Arteries in Isoflurane-Anesthetized Rats

Somatosensory stimulation causes dilation of the pial and penetrating arteries and an increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the representative region of the somatosensory cortex. As an underlying mechanism for such stimulation-induced increases in CBF, cerebral artery dilation has been thought to propagate in the vascular endothelium from the parenchyma to the brain surface. Vascular gap junctions may propagate vasodilation. However, the contribution of vascular gap junctions to cerebrovascular regulation induced by somatosensory stimulation is largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the contribution of vascular gap junctions to the regulation of the pial and penetrating arteries during neuronal activity attributed to somatosensory stimulation. Experiments were performed on male Wistar rats (age: 7-10 weeks) with artificial ventilation under isoflurane anesthesia. For somatosensory stimulation, the left forepaw was electrically stimulated (1.5 mA, 0.5 ms and 10 Hz, for 5 s). The artery in the forelimb area of the right somatosensory cortex was imaged through a cranial window using a two-photon microscope and the diameter was measured. Carbenoxolone (CBX) was intravenously (i.v.) administered, at a dose of 100 mg/kg, to block vascular gap junctions. The forepaw electrical stimulation increased the diameter of the pial and penetrating arteries by 7.0% and 5.0% of the pre-stimulus diameter, respectively, without changing the arterial pressure. After CBX administration, the change in pial artery diameter during forepaw stimulation was attenuated to 3.2%. However, changes in the penetrating artery were not significantly affected. CBF was measured using a laser speckle flowmeter, together with somatosensory-evoked potential (SEP) recorded in the somatosensory cortex. The extent of CBF increase (by 24.1% of the pre-stimulus level) and amplitude of SEP were not affected by CBX administration. The present results suggest that vascular gap junctions, possibly on the endothelium, contribute to pial artery dilation during neuronal activity induced by somatosensory stimulation.

Astrocytes Integrate Behavioral State and Vascular Signals during Functional Hyperemia

Dynamic changes in astrocyte free Ca²⁺ regulate synaptic signaling and local blood flow. Although astrocytes are poised to integrate signals from synapses and the vasculature to perform their functional roles, it remains unclear what dictates astrocyte responses during neurovascular coupling under realistic conditions. We examined peri-arteriole and peri-capillary astrocytes in the barrel cortex of active mice in response to sensory stimulation or volitional behaviors. We observed an AMPA and NMDA receptor-dependent elevation in astrocyte endfoot Ca²⁺ that followed functional hyperemia onset. This delayed astrocyte Ca²⁺ signal was dependent on the animal's action at the time of measurement as well as a neurovascular pathway that linked to endothelial-derived nitric oxide. A similar elevation in endfoot Ca²⁺ was evoked using vascular chemogenetics or optogenetics, and opto-stimulated dilation recruited the same nitric oxide pathway as functional hyperemia. These data show that behavioral state and microvasculature influence astrocyte Ca²⁺ in active mice. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

Real-time in vivo two-photon imaging study reveals decreased cerebro-vascular volume and increased blood-brain barrier permeability in chronically stressed mice

Chronic stress disrupts brain homeostasis and adversely affects the cerebro-vascular system. Even though the effects of chronic stress on brain system have been extensively studied, there are few in vivo dynamic studies on the effects of chronic stress on the cerebro-vascular system. In this study, the effects of chronic stress on cerebral vasculature and BBB permeability were studied using in vivo two-photon (2p) microscopic imaging with an injection of fluorescence-conjugated dextran. Our real-time 2p imaging results showed that chronic stress reduced the vessel diameter and reconstructed vascular volume, regardless of vessel type and branching order. BBB permeability was investigated with two different size of tracers. Stressed animals exhibited a greater BBB permeability to 40-kDa dextran, but not to 70-kDa dextran, which is suggestive of weakened vascular integrity following stress. Molecular analysis revealed significantly higher VEGFa mRNA expression and a reduction in claudin-5. In summary, chronic stress decreases the size of cerebral vessels and increases BBB permeability. These results may suggest that the sustained decrease in cerebro-vascular volume due to chronic stress leads to a hypoxic condition that causes molecular changes such as VEGF and claudin-5, which eventually impairs the function of BBB.

Increasing isoflurane dose reduces homotopic correlation and functional segregation of brain networks in mice as revealed by resting-state fMRI

Effects of anesthetics on brain functional networks are not fully understood. In this work, we investigated functional brain networks derived from resting-state fMRI data obtained under different doses of isoflurane in mice using stationary and dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) analysis. Stationary network analysis using FSL Nets revealed a modular structure of functional networks, which could be segregated into a lateral cortical, an associative cortical network, elements of the prefrontal network, a subcortical network, and a thalamic network. Increasing isoflurane dose led to a loss of functional connectivity between the bilateral cortical regions. In addition, dFC analysis revealed a dominance of dynamic functional states (dFS) exhibiting modular structure in mice anesthetized with a low dose of isoflurane, while at high isoflurane levels dFS showing widespread unstructured correlation displayed highest weights. This indicates that spatial segregation across brain functional networks is lost with increasing dose of the anesthetic drug used. To what extent this indicates a state of deep anesthesia remains to be shown. Combining the results of stationary and dynamic FC analysis indicates that increasing isoflurane levels leads to loss of modular network organization, which includes loss of the strong bilateral interactions between homotopic brain areas.

Functional Neuroimaging of Nociceptive and Pain-Related Activity in the Spinal Cord and Brain: Insights From Neurovascular Coupling Studies

Spinal cord and brain processes underlie pain perception, which produces systemic cardiovascular changes. In turn, the autonomic nervous system regulates vascular function in the spinal cord and brain in order to adapt to these systemic changes, while neuronal activity induces local vascular changes. Thus, autonomic regulation and pain processes in the brain and spinal cord are tightly linked and interrelated. The objective of this topical review is to discuss work on neurovascular coupling during nociceptive processing in order to highlight supporting evidence and limitations for the use of cerebral and spinal fMRI to investigate pain mechanisms and spinal nociceptive processes. Work on functional neuroimaging of pain is presented and discussed in relation to available neurovascular coupling studies and related issues. Perspectives on future work are also discussed with an emphasis on differences between the brain and the spinal cord and on different approaches that may be useful to improve current methods, data analyses and interpretation. In summary, this review highlights the lack of data on neurovascular coupling during nociceptive stimulation and indicates that hemodynamic and BOLD responses measured with fMRI may be biased by nonspecific vascular changes. Future neuroimaging studies on nociceptive and pain-related processes would gain further understanding of neurovascular coupling in the brain and spinal cord and should take into account the effects of systemic vascular changes that may affect hemodynamic responses. Anat Rec, 301:1585-1595, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Capillary flow homogenization during functional activation revealed by optical coherence tomography angiography based capillary velocimetry

Elaborate modeling study suggests an important role of capillary transit time heterogeneity (CTTH) reduction in brain oxygenation during functional hyperemia. Here, we use optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) capillary velocimetry to probe blood flow dynamics in cerebral capillary beds and validate the change in CTTH during functional activation in an in vivo rodent model. Through evaluating flow dynamics and consequent transit time parameters from thousands of capillary vessels within three-dimensional (3-D) tissue volume upon hindpaw electrical stimulation, we observe reductions in both capillary mean transit time (MTT) (9.8% ± 2.2) and CTTH (5.9% ± 1.4) in the hindlimb somatosensory cortex (HLS1). Additionally, capillary flow pattern modification is observed with a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the HLS1 and non-activated cortex regions. These quantitative findings reveal a localized microcirculatory adjustment during functional activation, consistent with previous studies, and support the critical contribution of capillary flow homogenization to brain oxygenation. The OCTA velocimetry is a useful tool to image microcirculatory dynamics in vivo using animal models, enabling a more comprehensive understanding as to hemodynamic-metabolic coupling.

Investigation of the BOLD and CBV fMRI responses to somatosensory stimulation in awake marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

Understanding the spatiotemporal features of the hemodynamic response function (HRF) to brain stimulation is essential for the correct application of neuroimaging methods to study brain function. Here, we investigated the spatiotemporal evolution of the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) HRF in conscious, awake marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), a New World non-human primate with a lissencephalic brain and with growing use in biomedical research. The marmosets were acclimatized to head fixation and placed in a 7-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Somatosensory stimulation (333-μs pulses; amplitude, 2 mA; 64 Hz) was delivered bilaterally via pairs of contact electrodes. A block design paradigm was used in which the stimulus duration increased in pseudo-random order from a single pulse up to 256 electrical pulses (4 s). For CBV measurements, 30 mg/kg of ultrasmall superparamagnetic ironoxide particles (USPIO) injected intravenously, were used. Robust BOLD and CBV HRFs were obtained in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) and caudate at all stimulus conditions. In particular, BOLD and CBV responses to a single 333-μs-long stimulus were reliably measured, and the CBV HRF presented shorter onset time and time to peak than the BOLD HRF. Both the size of the regions of activation and the peak amplitude of the HRFs grew quickly with increasing stimulus duration, and saturated for stimulus durations greater than 1 s. Onset times in S1 and S2 were faster than in caudate. Finally, the fine spatiotemporal features of the HRF in awake marmosets were similar to those obtained in humans, indicating that the continued refinement of awake non-human primate models is essential to maximize the applicability of animal functional MRI studies to the investigation of human brain function.

Cerebral vascular structure in the motor cortex of adult mice is stable and is not altered by voluntary exercise

The cerebral vasculature provides blood flow throughout the brain, and local changes in blood flow are regulated to match the metabolic demands of the active brain regions. This neurovascular coupling is mediated by real-time changes in vessel diameter and depends on the underlying vascular network structure. Neurovascular structure is configured during development by genetic and activity-dependent factors. In adulthood, it can be altered by experiences such as prolonged hypoxia, sensory deprivation and seizure. Here, we have sought to determine whether exercise could alter cerebral vascular structure in the adult mouse. We performed repeated in vivo two-photon imaging in the motor cortex of adult transgenic mice expressing membrane-anchored green fluorescent protein in endothelial cells (tyrosine endothelial kinase 2 receptor (Tie2)-Cre:mTmG). This strategy allows for high-resolution imaging of the vessel walls throughout the lifespan. Vascular structure, as measured by capillary branch point number and position, segment diameter and length remained stable over a time scale of months as did pericyte number and position. Furthermore, we compared the vascular structure before, during, and after periods of voluntary wheel running and found no alterations in these same parameters. In both running and control mice, we observed a low rate of capillary segment subtraction. Interestingly, these rare subtraction events preferentially remove short vascular loops.

Disturbances in the control of capillary flow in an aged APPswe/PS1ΔE9 model of Alzheimer's disease

Vascular changes are thought to contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease, and both cerebral blood flow and its responses during neural activation are reduced before Alzheimer's disease symptoms onset. One hypothetical explanation is that capillary dysfunction reduces oxygen extraction efficacy. This study compares the morphology and hemodynamics of the microvasculature in the somatosensory cortex of 18-month-old APP^SWE/PS1ΔE9 (transgenic [Tg]) mice and wild-type (WT) littermates. In particular, the extent to which their capillary transit times homogenize during functional activation was measured and compared. Capillary length density was similar in both groups but capillary blood flow during rest was lower in the Tg mice, indicating that cortical oxygen availability is reduced. The capillary hemodynamic response to functional activation was larger, and lasted longer in Tg mice than in WT mice. The homogenization of capillary transit times during functional activation, which we previously demonstrated in young mice, was absent in the Tg mice. This study demonstrates that both neurovascular coupling and capillary function are profoundly disturbed in aged Tg and WT mice.

Prevention of the collapse of pial collaterals by remote ischemic perconditioning during acute ischemic stroke

Collateral circulation is a key variable determining prognosis and response to recanalization therapy during acute ischemic stroke. Remote ischemic perconditioning (RIPerC) involves inducing peripheral ischemia (typically in the limbs) during stroke and may reduce perfusion deficits and brain damage due to cerebral ischemia. In this study, we directly investigated pial collateral flow augmentation due to RIPerC during distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) in rats. Blood flow through pial collaterals between the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and the MCA was assessed in male Sprague Dawley rats using in vivo laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) and two photon laser scanning microscopy (TPLSM) during distal MCAo. LSCI and TPLSM revealed that RIPerC augmented collateral flow into distal MCA segments. Notably, while control rats exhibited an initial dilation followed by a progressive narrowing of pial arterioles 60 to 150-min post-MCAo (constricting to 80-90% of post-MCAo peak diameter), this constriction was prevented or reversed by RIPerC (such that vessel diameters increased to 105-110% of post-MCAo, pre-RIPerC diameter). RIPerC significantly reduced early ischemic damage measured 6 h after stroke onset. Thus, prevention of collateral collapse via RIPerC is neuroprotective and may facilitate other protective or recanalization therapies by improving blood flow in penumbral tissue.

Vascular density and distribution in neocortex

An amazingly wide range of complex behavior emerges from the cerebral cortex. Much of the information processing that leads to these behaviors is performed in neocortical circuits that span throughout the six layers of the cortex. Maintaining this circuit activity requires substantial quantities of oxygen and energy substrates, which are delivered by the complex yet well-organized and tightly-regulated vascular system. In this review, we provide a detailed characterization of the most relevant anatomical and functional features of the cortical vasculature. This includes a compilation of the available data on laminar variation of vascular density and the topological aspects of the microvascular system. We also review the spatio-temporal dynamics of cortical blood flow regulation and oxygenation, many aspects of which remain poorly understood. Finally, we discuss some of the important implications of vascular density, distribution, oxygenation and blood flow regulation for (laminar) fMRI.

Evaluation of Precision in Optoacoustic Tomography for Preclinical Imaging in Living Subjects

Optoacoustic tomography (OT) is now widely used in preclinical imaging; however, the precision (repeatability and reproducibility) of OT has yet to be determined. Methods: We used a commercial small-animal OT system. Measurements in stable phantoms were used to independently assess the impact of system variables on precision (using coefficient of variation, COV), including acquisition wavelength, rotational position, and frame averaging. Variables due to animal handling and physiology, such as anatomic placement and anesthesia conditions, were then assessed in healthy nude mice using the left kidney and spleen as reference organs. Temporal variation was assessed by repeated measurements over hours and days both in phantoms and in vivo. Sensitivity to small-molecule dyes was determined in phantoms and in vivo; precision was assessed in vivo using IRDye800CW. Results: OT COV in a stable phantom was less than 2.8% across all wavelengths over 30 d. The factors with the greatest impact on signal repeatability in phantoms were rotational position and user experience, both of which still resulted in a COV of less than 4% at 700 nm. Anatomic region-of-interest size showed the highest variation, at 12% and 18% COV in the kidney and spleen, respectively; however, functional SO2 measurements based on a standard operating procedure showed an exceptional reproducibility of less than 4% COV. COV for repeated injections of IRDye800CW was 6.6%. Sources of variability for in vivo data included respiration rate, degree of user experience, and animal placement. Conclusion: Data acquired with our small-animal OT system were highly repeatable and reproducible across subjects and over time. Therefore, longitudinal OT studies may be performed with high confidence when our standard operating procedure is followed.

Mapping of the brain hemodynamic responses to sensorimotor stimulation in a rodent model: A BOLD fMRI study

Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent functional MRI (BOLD fMRI) during electrical paw stimulation has been widely used in studies aimed at the understanding of the somatosensory network in rats. However, despite the well-established anatomical connections between cortical and subcortical structures of the sensorimotor system, most of these functional studies have been concentrated on the cortical effects of sensory electrical stimulation. BOLD fMRI study of the integration of a sensorimotor input across the sensorimotor network requires an appropriate methodology to elicit functional activation in cortical and subcortical areas owing to the regional differences in both neuronal and vascular architectures between these brain regions. Here, using a combination of low level anesthesia, long pulse duration of the electrical stimulation along with improved spatial and temporal signal to noise ratios, we provide a functional description of the main cortical and subcortical structures of the sensorimotor rat brain. With this calibrated fMRI protocol, unilateral non-noxious sensorimotor electrical hindpaw stimulation resulted in robust positive activations in the contralateral sensorimotor cortex and bilaterally in the sensorimotor thalamus nuclei, whereas negative activations were observed bilaterally in the dorsolateral caudate-putamen. These results demonstrate that, once the experimental setup allowing necessary spatial and temporal signal to noise ratios is reached, hemodynamic changes related to neuronal activity, as preserved by the combination of a soft anesthesia with a soft muscle relaxation, can be measured within the sensorimotor network. Moreover, the observed responses suggest that increasing pulse duration of the electrical stimulus adds a proprioceptive component to the sensory input that activates sensorimotor network in the brain, and that these activation patterns are similar to those induced by digits paw’s movements. These findings may find application in fMRI studies of sensorimotor disorders within cortico-basal network in rodents.

Characterization of the resting-state brain network topology in the 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of Parkinson's disease

Resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) is an imaging technology that has recently gained attention for its ability to detect disruptions in functional brain networks in humans, including in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), revealing early and widespread brain network abnormalities. This methodology is now readily applicable to experimental animals offering new possibilities for cross-species translational imaging. In this context, we herein describe the application of rsfMRI to the unilaterally-lesioned 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat, a robust experimental model of the dopamine depletion implicated in PD. Using graph theory to analyse the rsfMRI data, we were able to provide meaningful and translatable measures of integrity, influence and segregation of the underlying functional brain architecture. Specifically, we confirm that rats share a similar functional brain network topology as observed in humans, characterised by small-worldness and modularity. Interestingly, we observed significantly reduced functional connectivity in the 6-OHDA rats, primarily in the ipsilateral (lesioned) hemisphere as evidenced by significantly lower node degree, local efficiency and clustering coefficient in the motor, orbital and sensorimotor cortices. In contrast, we found significantly, and bilaterally, increased thalamic functional connectivity in the lesioned rats. The unilateral deficits in the cortex are consistent with the unilateral nature of this model and further support the validity of the rsfMRI technique in rodents. We thereby provide a methodological framework for the investigation of brain networks in other rodent experimental models of PD, as well as of animal models in general, for cross-comparison with human data.

Volumetric Spatial Correlations of Neurovascular Coupling Studied using Single Pulse Opto-fMRI

Neurovascular coupling describes the link between neuronal activity and cerebral blood flow. This relationship has been the subject of intense scrutiny, with most previous work seeking to understand temporal correlations that describe neurovascular coupling. However, to date, the study of spatial correlations has been limited to two-dimensional mapping of neuronal or vascular derived signals emanating from the brain’s surface, using optical imaging techniques. Here, we investigate spatial correlations of neurovascular coupling in three dimensions, by applying a single 10 ms pulse of light to trigger optogenetic activation of cortical neurons transduced to express channelrhodopsin2, with concurrent fMRI. We estimated the spatial extent of increased neuronal activity using a model that takes into the account the scattering and absorption of blue light in brain tissue together with the relative density of channelrhodopsin2 expression across cortical layers. This method allows precise modulation of the volume of activated tissue in the cerebral cortex with concurrent three-dimensional mapping of functional hyperemia. Single pulse opto-fMRI minimizes adaptation, avoids heating artefacts and enables confined recruitment of the neuronal activity. Using this novel method, we present evidence for direct proportionality of volumetric spatial neurovascular coupling in the cerebral cortex.

Resting State fMRI in Mice Reveals Anesthesia Specific Signatures of Brain Functional Networks and Their Interactions

fMRI studies in mice typically require the use of anesthetics. Yet, it is known that anesthesia alters responses to stimuli or functional networks at rest. In this work, we have used Dual Regression analysis Network Modeling to investigate the effects of two commonly used anesthetics, isoflurane and medetomidine, on rs-fMRI derived functional networks, and in particular to what extent anesthesia affected the interaction within and between these networks. Experimental data have been used from a previous study (Grandjean et al., 2014). We applied multivariate ICA analysis and Dual Regression to infer the differences in functional connectivity between isoflurane- and medetomidine-anesthetized mice. Further network analysis was performed to investigate within- and between-network connectivity differences between these anesthetic regimens. The results revealed five major networks in the mouse brain: lateral cortical, associative cortical, default mode, subcortical, and thalamic network. The anesthesia regime had a profound effect both on within- and between-network interactions. Under isoflurane anesthesia predominantly intra- and inter-cortical interactions have been observed, with only minor interactions involving subcortical structures and in particular attenuated cortico-thalamic connectivity. In contrast, medetomidine-anesthetized mice displayed subcortical functional connectivity including interactions between cortical and thalamic ICA components. Combining the two anesthetics at low dose resulted in network interaction that constituted the superposition of the interaction observed for each anesthetic alone. The study demonstrated that network modeling is a promising tool for analyzing the brain functional architecture in mice and comparing alterations therein caused by different physiological or pathological states. Understanding the differential effects of anesthetics on brain networks and their interaction is essential when interpreting fMRI data recorded under specific physiological and pathological conditions.

Regional early and progressive loss of brain pericytes but not vascular smooth muscle cells in adult mice with disrupted platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β signaling

Pericytes regulate key neurovascular functions of the brain. Studies in pericyte-deficient transgenic mice with aberrant signaling between endothelial-derived platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFRβ) in pericytes have contributed to better understanding of the role of pericytes in the brain. Here, we studied PdgfrβF7/F7 mice, which carry seven point mutations that disrupt PDGFRβ signaling causing loss of pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the developing brain. We asked whether these mice have a stable or progressive vascular phenotype after birth, and whether both pericyte and VSMCs populations are affected in the adult brain. We found an early and progressive region-dependent loss of brain pericytes, microvascular reductions and blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown, which were more pronounced in the cortex, hippocampus and striatum than in the thalamus, whereas VSMCs population remained unaffected at the time when pericyte loss was already established. For example, compared to age-matched controls, PdgfrβF7/F7 mice between 4-6 and 36-48 weeks of age developed a region-dependent loss in pericyte coverage (22-46, 24-44 and 4-31%) and cell numbers (36-49, 34-64 and 11-36%), reduction in capillary length (20-39, 13-46 and 1-30%), and an increase in extravascular fibrinogen-derived deposits (3.4-5.2, 2.8-4.1 and 0-3.6-fold) demonstrating BBB breakdown in the cortex, hippocampus and thalamus, respectively. Capillary reductions and BBB breakdown correlated with loss of pericyte coverage. Our data suggest that PdgfrβF7/F7 mice develop an aggressive and rapid vascular phenotype without appreciable early involvement of VSMCs, therefore providing a valuable model to study regional effects of pericyte loss on brain vascular and neuronal functions. This model could be a useful tool for future studies directed at understanding the role of pericytes in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders associated with pericyte loss such as vascular dementia, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke and human immunodeficiency virus-associated neurocognitive disorder.

Effect of electrical forepaw stimulation on capillary transit-time heterogeneity (CTH)

Functional hyperemia reduces oxygen extraction efficacy unless counteracted by a reduction of capillary transit-time heterogeneity of blood. We adapted a bolus tracking approach to capillary transit-time heterogeneity estimation for two-photon microscopy and then quantified changes in plasma mean transit time and capillary transit-time heterogeneity during forepaw stimulation in anesthetized mice (C57BL/6NTac). In addition, we analyzed transit time coefficient of variance = capillary transit-time heterogeneity/mean transit time, which we expect to remain constant in passive, compliant microvascular networks. Electrical forepaw stimulation reduced, both mean transit time (11.3% ± 1.3%) and capillary transit-time heterogeneity (24.1% ± 3.3%), consistent with earlier literature and model predictions. We observed a coefficient of variance reduction (14.3% ± 3.5%) during functional activation, especially for the arteriolar-to-venular passage. Such coefficient of variance reduction during functional activation suggests homogenization of capillary flows beyond that expected as a passive response to increased blood flow by other stimuli. This finding is consistent with an active neurocapillary coupling mechanism, for example via pericyte dilation. Mean transit time and capillary transit-time heterogeneity reductions were consistent with the relative change inferred from capillary hemodynamics (cell velocity and flux). Our findings support the important role of capillary transit-time heterogeneity in flow-metabolism coupling during functional activation.

Time to wake up: Studying neurovascular coupling and brain-wide circuit function in the un-anesthetized animal

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has allowed the noninvasive study of task-based and resting-state brain dynamics in humans by inferring neural activity from blood-oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) signal changes. An accurate interpretation of the hemodynamic changes that underlie fMRI signals depends on the understanding of the quantitative relationship between changes in neural activity and changes in cerebral blood flow, oxygenation and volume. While there has been extensive study of neurovascular coupling in anesthetized animal models, anesthesia causes large disruptions of brain metabolism, neural responsiveness and cardiovascular function. Here, we review work showing that neurovascular coupling and brain circuit function in the awake animal are profoundly different from those in the anesthetized state. We argue that the time is right to study neurovascular coupling and brain circuit function in the awake animal to bridge the physiological mechanisms that underlie animal and human neuroimaging signals, and to interpret them in light of underlying neural mechanisms. Lastly, we discuss recent experimental innovations that have enabled the study of neurovascular coupling and brain-wide circuit function in un-anesthetized and behaving animal models.

Assessing sensory versus optogenetic network activation by combining (o)fMRI with optical Ca2+ recordings

Encoding of sensory inputs in the cortex is characterized by sparse neuronal network activation. Optogenetic stimulation has previously been combined with fMRI (ofMRI) to probe functional networks. However, for a quantitative optogenetic probing of sensory-driven sparse network activation, the level of similarity between sensory and optogenetic network activation needs to be explored. Here, we complement ofMRI with optic fiber-based population Ca²⁺ recordings for a region-specific readout of neuronal spiking activity in rat brain. Comparing Ca²⁺ responses to the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal upon sensory stimulation with increasing frequencies showed adaptation of Ca²⁺ transients contrasted by an increase of blood oxygenation level-dependent responses, indicating that the optical recordings convey complementary information on neuronal network activity to the corresponding hemodynamic response. To study the similarity of optogenetic and sensory activation, we quantified the density of cells expressing channelrhodopsin-2 and modeled light propagation in the tissue. We estimated the effectively illuminated volume and numbers of optogenetically stimulated neurons, being indicative of sparse activation. At the functional level, upon either sensory or optogenetic stimulation we detected single-peak short-latency primary Ca²⁺ responses with similar amplitudes and found that blood oxygenation level-dependent responses showed similar time courses. These data suggest that ofMRI can serve as a representative model for functional brain mapping.

Physiological characterization of a robust survival rodent fMRI method

Anesthetics are commonly used in preclinical functional MRI studies. It is well-appreciated that proper choice of anesthetics is of critical importance for maintaining a physiologically normal range of autonomic functioning. A recent study, using a low dose of dexmedetomidine (active isomer of medetomidine) in combination with a low dose of isoflurane, suggested stable measurements across repeated fMRI experiments in individual animals with each session lasting up to several hours. The rat default mode network has been successfully identified using this preparation, indicating that this protocol minimally disturbs brain network functions. However, medetomidine is known to cause peripheral vasoconstriction, respiratory suppression, and bradycardia, each of which could independently confound the BOLD signal. The goal of this study was to systematically characterize physiological conditions for fMRI experiments under this anesthetic regimen. To this end, we acquired somatosensory stimulation "task-evoked" and resting-state fMRI to evaluate the integrity of neurovascular coupling and brain network function during three time windows (0-30min, 30-90min, and 90-150min) following dexmedetomidine initiation. Results demonstrate that both evoked BOLD response and resting-state fMRI signal remained stable during the 90-150min time window, while autonomic physiological parameters maintained near-normal conditions during this period. Our data suggest that using a spontaneously-inhaled, low dose of isoflurane in combination with a continuous low dose of dexmedetomidine is a viable option for longitudinal imaging studies in rats.

Design and implementation of embedded 8-channel receive-only arrays for whole-brain MRI and fMRI of conscious awake marmosets

PURPOSE

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a New World primate of increasing interest to neuroscience and in translational brain research. The present work describes the design and implementation of individualized 8-channel receive-only radiofrequency (RF) coil arrays that provide whole-brain coverage and allow anatomical and functional MRI experiments in conscious, awake marmosets.

METHODS

The coil arrays were designed with their elements embedded inside individualized restraint helmets. The size, geometry, and arrangement of the coil elements were optimized to allow whole-brain coverage. Coil-to-coil decoupling was achieved by a combination of geometric decoupling and low input impedance preamplifiers. The performance of the embedded arrays was compared against that of one 8-channel receive-only array built to fit the external surface of the helmets.

RESULTS

Three individualized helmets with embedded coil arrays were built for three marmosets. Whole-brain coverage was achieved with high sensitivity extending over the entire cortex. Visual stimulation of conscious awake marmosets elicited robust BOLD fMRI responses in both primary and higher order visual areas of the occipitotemporal cortex.

CONCLUSION

The high sensitivity provided by embedded receive-only coil arrays allows both anatomical and functional MRI data to be obtained with high spatial resolution in conscious, awake marmosets. Magn Reson Med 78:387-398, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Mapping quantal touch using 7 Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging and single-unit intraneural microstimulation

Using ultra-high field 7 Tesla (7T) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we map the cortical and perceptual responses elicited by intraneural microstimulation (INMS) of single mechanoreceptive afferent units in the median nerve, in humans. Activations are compared to those produced by applying vibrotactile stimulation to the unit’s receptive field, and unit-type perceptual reports are analyzed. We show that INMS and vibrotactile stimulation engage overlapping areas within the topographically appropriate digit representation in the primary somatosensory cortex. Additional brain regions in bilateral secondary somatosensory cortex, premotor cortex, primary motor cortex, insula and posterior parietal cortex, as well as in contralateral prefrontal cortex are also shown to be activated in response to INMS. The combination of INMS and 7T fMRI opens up an unprecedented opportunity to bridge the gap between first-order mechanoreceptive afferent input codes and their spatial, dynamic and perceptual representations in human cortex.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12812.001

The skin contains multiple types of sensory nerves that inform the brain about events occurring on the surface of the body. One way to study how this process works is to insert a very fine needle through the skin to stimulate a single sensory nerve with a small electrical current. This technique – known as intraneural microstimulation – can activate touch responses in the brain without an object actually contacting the skin.

Another technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used to measure brain activity. These studies have revealed that when objects come into contact with the skin of the fingers, they stimulate several sensory nerves at the same time, which results in brain activity in a region called the somatosensory cortex.

Sanchez Panchuelo, Ackerley et al. combined fMRI and intraneural microstimulation to map brain activity in response to the activation of individual sensory nerves in the fingers of human volunteers. The experiments show that intraneural stimulation activates many areas of the brain that are also activated by mechanical contact. Future work will use this new method to study the brain's response to signals from different types of sensory nerves.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12812.002

Myogenic and metabolic feedback in cerebral autoregulation: Putative involvement of arachidonic acid-dependent pathways

The present paper presents a mechanistic model of cerebral autoregulation, in which the dual effects of the arachidonic acid metabolites 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) on vascular smooth muscle mediate the cerebrovascular adjustments to a change in cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP). 20-HETE signalling in vascular smooth muscle mediates myogenic feedback to changes in vessel wall stretch, which may be modulated by metabolic feedback through EETs released from astrocytes and endothelial cells in response to changes in brain tissue oxygen tension. The metabolic feedback pathway is much faster than 20-HETE-dependent myogenic feedback, and the former thus initiates the cerebral autoregulatory response, while myogenic feedback comprises a relatively slower mechanism that functions to set the basal cerebrovascular tone. Therefore, assessments of dynamic cerebral autoregulation, which may provide information on the response time of the cerebrovasculature, may specifically be used to yield information on metabolic feedback mechanisms, while data based on assessments of static cerebral autoregulation represent the integrated functionality of myogenic and metabolic feedback.

A novel anesthesia regime enables neurofunctional studies and imaging genetics across mouse strains

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has revolutionized neuroscience by opening a unique window that allows neurocircuitry function and pathological alterations to be probed non-invasively across brain disorders. Here we report a novel sustainable anesthesia procedure for small animal neuroimaging that overcomes shortcomings of anesthetics commonly used in rodent fMRI. The significantly improved preservation of cerebrovascular dynamics enhances sensitivity to neural activity changes for which it serves as a proxy in fMRI readouts. Excellent cross-species/strain applicability provides coherence among preclinical findings and is expected to improve translation to clinical fMRI investigations. The novel anesthesia procedure based on the GABAergic anesthetic etomidate was extensively validated in fMRI studies conducted in a range of genetically engineered rodent models of autism and strains commonly used for transgenic manipulations. Etomidate proved effective, yielded long-term stable physiology with basal cerebral blood flow of ~0.5 ml/g/min and full recovery. Cerebrovascular responsiveness of up to 180% was maintained as demonstrated with perfusion- and BOLD-based fMRI upon hypercapnic, pharmacological and sensory stimulation. Hence, etomidate lends itself as an anesthetic-of-choice for translational neuroimaging studies across rodent models of brain disorders.

Novel method for functional brain imaging in awake minimally restrained rats

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in rodents holds great promise for advancing our knowledge about human brain function. However, the use of anesthetics to immobilize rodents during fMRI experiments has restricted the type of questions that can be addressed using this technique. Here we describe an innovative procedure to train rats to be constrained without the need of any anesthesia during the whole procedure. We show that with 8-10 days of acclimation rats can be conscious and remain still during fMRI experiments under minimal stress. In addition, we provide fMRI results of conscious rodents in a variety of commonly used fMRI experimental paradigms, and we demonstrate the improved quality of these scans by comparing results when the same rodents were scanned under anesthesia. We confirm that the awake scanning procedure permits an improved evaluation of brain networks and brain response to external stimuli with minimal movement artifact. The present study further advances the field of fMRI in awake rodents, which provide more direct, forward and reverse, translational opportunities regarding brain functional correspondences between human and rodent research.

Mapping oxygen concentration in the awake mouse brain

Although critical for brain function, the physiological values of cerebral oxygen concentration have remained elusive because high-resolution measurements have only been performed during anesthesia, which affects two major parameters modulating tissue oxygenation: neuronal activity and blood flow. Using measurements of capillary erythrocyte-associated transients, fluctuations of oxygen partial pressure (Po₂) associated with individual erythrocytes, to infer Po₂ in the nearby neuropil, we report the first non-invasive micron-scale mapping of cerebral Po₂ in awake, resting mice. Interstitial Po₂ has similar values in the olfactory bulb glomerular layer and the somatosensory cortex, whereas there are large capillary hematocrit and erythrocyte flux differences. Awake tissue Po₂ is about half that under isoflurane anesthesia, and within the cortex, vascular and interstitial Po₂ values display layer-specific differences which dramatically contrast with those recorded under anesthesia. Our findings emphasize the importance of measuring energy parameters non-invasively in physiological conditions to precisely quantify and model brain metabolism.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12024.001

Brain cells need a constant supply of oxygen to fuel their activities. This oxygen is delivered by the flow of blood through the vessels in the brain. If the blood flow to brain tissue is cut off as happens in stroke, or if an individual stops breathing, the brain becomes deprived of oxygen and brain cells will be damaged and die. To better understand how the brain works in health and disease, scientists need to learn how much oxygen the blood must deliver to the brain tissue to adequately support the activities of brain cells.

Many studies have measured oxygen levels in the brain. However, these studies have looked only roughly and taken measurements from large areas of the brain, or they have involved animals receiving anesthesia, which can alter blood flow and oxygen use in the brain. Recently, scientists discovered that they could measure oxygen concentration at high detail in the brain of anesthetized rodents with a specialized microscope, by using molecules that emit light at a rate that depends on the local oxygen concentration.

Now, Lyons et al. have shown that this same technique can be used in mice that are awake. First, a piece of the skull was replaced with glass to create a small transparent window. Then, the animals were allowed to recover for a few weeks, and were trained to get them used to how they would be handled during the experiments. After this period, the oxygen concentrations and blood flow in different parts of the mouse brains were measured in fine detail using the microscope while the animals were awake and relaxed.

The experiments showed that oxygen levels in awake resting mice are actually lower than in anesthetized mice, and that oxygen levels differ between different parts of the mouse brain. This first detailed look at oxygen levels in the brain of awake animals will likely lead to more studies. For example, future studies may look at how quickly the brain uses oxygen under normal conditions and what happens in the brain during disease.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12024.002

Normothermic Mouse Functional MRI of Acute Focal Thermostimulation for Probing Nociception

Combining mouse genomics and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a promising tool to unravel the molecular mechanisms of chronic pain. Probing murine nociception via the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) effect is still challenging due to methodological constraints. Here we report on the reproducible application of acute noxious heat stimuli to examine the feasibility and limitations of functional brain mapping for central pain processing in mice. Recent technical and procedural advances were applied for enhanced BOLD signal detection and a tight control of physiological parameters. The latter includes the development of a novel mouse cradle designed to maintain whole-body normothermia in anesthetized mice during fMRI in a way that reflects the thermal status of awake, resting mice. Applying mild noxious heat stimuli to wildtype mice resulted in highly significant BOLD patterns in anatomical brain structures forming the pain matrix, which comprise temporal signal intensity changes of up to 6% magnitude. We also observed sub-threshold correlation patterns in large areas of the brain, as well as alterations in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) in response to the applied stimulus.

Neurovascular and neuroimaging effects of the hallucinogenic serotonin receptor agonist psilocin in the rat brain

The development of pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) has presented the opportunity for investigation of the neurophysiological effects of drugs in vivo. Psilocin, a hallucinogen metabolised from psilocybin, was recently reported to evoke brain region-specific, phMRI signal changes in humans. The present study investigated the effects of psilocin in a rat model using phMRI and then probed the relationship between neuronal and haemodynamic responses using a multimodal measurement preparation. Psilocin (2 mg/kg or 0.03 mg/kg i.v.) or vehicle was administered to rats (N=6/group) during either phMRI scanning or concurrent imaging of cortical blood flow and recording of local field potentials. Compared to vehicle controls psilocin (2 mg/kg) evoked phMRI signal increases in a number of regions including olfactory and limbic areas and elements of the visual system. PhMRI signal decreases were seen in other regions including somatosensory and motor cortices. Investigation of neurovascular coupling revealed that whilst neuronal responses (local field potentials) to sensory stimuli were decreased in amplitude by psilocin administration, concurrently measured haemodynamic responses (cerebral blood flow) were enhanced. The present findings show that psilocin evoked region-specific changes in phMRI signals in the rat, confirming recent human data. However, the results also suggest that the haemodynamic signal changes underlying phMRI responses reflect changes in both neuronal activity and neurovascular coupling. This highlights the importance of understanding the neurovascular effects of pharmacological manipulations for interpreting haemodynamic neuroimaging data.

Comparison of stimulus-evoked cerebral hemodynamics in the awake mouse and under a novel anesthetic regime

Neural activity is closely followed by a localised change in cerebral blood flow, a process termed neurovascular coupling. These hemodynamic changes form the basis of contrast in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and are used as a correlate for neural activity. Anesthesia is widely employed in animal fMRI and neurovascular studies, however anesthetics are known to profoundly affect neural and vascular physiology, particularly in mice. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of a novel ‘modular’ anesthesia that combined injectable (fentanyl-fluanisone/midazolam) and volatile (isoflurane) anesthetics in mice. To characterize sensory-evoked cortical hemodynamic responses, we used optical imaging spectroscopy to produce functional maps of changes in tissue oxygenation and blood volume in response to mechanical whisker stimulation. Following fine-tuning of the anesthetic regime, stimulation elicited large and robust hemodynamic responses in the somatosensory cortex, characterized by fast arterial activation, increases in total and oxygenated hemoglobin, and decreases in deoxygenated hemoglobin. Overall, the magnitude and speed of evoked hemodynamic responses under anesthesia resembled those in the awake state, indicating that the novel anesthetic combination significantly minimizes the impact of anesthesia. Our findings have broad implications for both neurovascular research and longitudinal fMRI studies that increasingly require the use of genetically engineered mice.

A systematic review of physiological methods in rodent pharmacological MRI studies

RATIONALE

Pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) provides an approach to study effects of drug challenges on brain processes. Elucidating mechanisms of drug action helps us to better understand the workings of neurotransmitter systems, map brain function or facilitate drug development. phMRI is increasingly used in preclinical research employing rodent models; however, data interpretation and integration are complicated by the use of different experimental approaches between laboratories. In particular, the effects of different anaesthetic regimes upon neuronal and haemodynamic processes and baseline physiology could be problematic.

OBJECTIVES

This paper investigates how differences in phMRI research methodologies are manifested and considers associated implications, placing particular emphasis on choice of anaesthetic regimes.

METHODS

A systematic review of rodent phMRI studies was conducted. Factors such as those describing anaesthetic regimes (e.g. agent, dosage) and parameters relating to physiological maintenance (e.g. ventilatory gases) and MRI method were recorded.

RESULTS

We identified 126 eligible studies and found that the volatile agents isoflurane (43.7 %) and halothane (33.3 %) were most commonly used for anaesthesia, but dosage and mixture of ventilatory gases varied substantially between laboratories. Relevant physiological parameters were usually recorded, although 32 % of studies did not provide cardiovascular measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Anaesthesia and animal preparation can influence phMRI data profoundly. The variation of anaesthetic type, dosage regime and ventilatory gases makes consolidation of research findings (e.g. within a specific neurotransmitter system) difficult. Standardisation of a small(er) number of preclinical phMRI research methodologies and/or increased consideration of approaches that do not require anaesthesia is necessary to address these challenges.

Astrocytic Gq-GPCR-linked IP3R-dependent Ca2+ signaling does not mediate neurovascular coupling in mouse visual cortex in vivo

Local blood flow is modulated in response to changing patterns of neuronal activity (Roy and Sherrington, 1890), a process termed neurovascular coupling. It has been proposed that the central cellular pathway driving this process is astrocytic Gq-GPCR-linked IP3R-dependent Ca(2+) signaling, though in vivo tests of this hypothesis are largely lacking. We examined the impact of astrocytic Gq-GPCR and IP3R-dependent Ca(2+) signaling on cortical blood flow in awake, lightly sedated, responsive mice using multiphoton laser-scanning microscopy and novel genetic tools that enable the selective manipulation of astrocytic signaling pathways in vivo. Selective stimulation of astrocytic Gq-GPCR cascades and downstream Ca(2+) signaling with the hM3Dq DREADD (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) designer receptor system was insufficient to modulate basal cortical blood flow. We found no evidence of observable astrocyte endfeet Ca(2+) elevations following physiological visual stimulation despite robust dilations of adjacent arterioles using cyto-GCaMP3 and Lck-GCaMP6s, the most sensitive Ca(2+) indicator available. Astrocytic Ca(2+) elevations could be evoked when inducing the startle response with unexpected air puffs. However, startle-induced astrocytic Ca(2+) signals did not precede corresponding startle-induced hemodynamic changes. Further, neurovascular coupling was intact in lightly sedated, responsive mice genetically lacking astrocytic IP3R-dependent Ca(2+) signaling (IP3R2 KO). These data demonstrate that astrocytic Gq-GPCR-linked IP3R-dependent Ca(2+) signaling does not mediate neurovascular coupling in visual cortex of awake, lightly sedated, responsive mice.

Pharmacological insight into neurotransmission origins of resting-state functional connectivity: α2-adrenergic agonist vs antagonist

Resting-state functional connectivity MRI has emerged as a powerful tool for mapping large-scale neural networks based on synchronous BOLD signal; however, the neurobiological mechanisms are still unknown. To understand its neural substrates, especially the underlying neurotransmission, we applied pharmacological modulation with a receptor specific agonist and antagonist. Resting and evoked electrophysiology and BOLD signals in rat brains were measured under infusion of α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, medetomidine, the antagonist, atipamezole, and the vehicle individually. Both somatosensory BOLD activation and evoked potential were increased significantly under medetomidine compared to the vehicle while atipamezole slightly decreased both. The interhemispheric correlation at the resting state, in contrast, was suppressed by medetomidine but increased by atipamezole in regions with high receptor densities including the somatosensory cortex and thalamus. No change was seen in the caudate putamen, where receptor occupancy is low. The regional difference in connectivity was not related to cerebral blood flow, indicating that BOLD signal correlation is unlikely due to the vascular effects of the drugs. Resting intracortical recording exhibited agonist/antagonist dependent changes in beta and gamma bands that correlated with the BOLD functional connectivity measure. Our results confirm an important role of the adrenergic system on functional connectivity and suggest a neurotransmission basis of the phenomenon.

Imaging neurovascular function and functional recovery after stroke in the rat striatum using forepaw stimulation

Negative functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response in the striatum has been observed in several studies during peripheral sensory stimulation, but its relationship between local field potential (LFP) remains to be elucidated. We performed cerebral blood volume (CBV) fMRI and LFP recordings in normal rats during graded noxious forepaw stimulation at nine stimulus pulse widths. Albeit high LFP-CBV correlation was found in the ipsilateral and contralateral sensory cortices (r=0.89 and 0.95, respectively), the striatal CBV responses were neither positively, nor negatively correlated with LFP (r=0.04), demonstrating that the negative striatal CBV response is not originated from net regional inhibition. To further identify whether this negative CBV response can serve as a marker for striatal functional recovery, two groups of rats (n=5 each) underwent 20- and 45-minute middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) were studied. No CBV response was found in the ipsilateral striatum in both groups immediately after stroke. Improved striatal CBV response was observed on day 28 in the 20-minute MCAO group compared with the 45-minute MCAO group (P<0.05). This study shows that fMRI signals could differ significantly from LFP and that the observed negative CBV response has potential to serve as a marker for striatal functional integrity in rats.

Brain-state dependent uncoupling of BOLD and local field potentials in laminar olfactory bulb

The neural activities of the olfactory bulb (OB) can be modulated significantly by internal brain states. While blood oxygenation level dependent functional MRI (BOLD-fMRI) has been extensively applied to study OB in small animals, the relationship between BOLD signals and electrophysiological signals remains to be elucidated. Our recent study has revealed a complex relationship between BOLD and local field potentials (LFP) signals in different OB layers during odor stimulation. However, no study has been performed to compare these two types of signals under global brain states. Here, the changes of BOLD and LFP signals in the glomerular, mitral cell, and granular cell layers of the OB under different brain states, which were induced by different concentrations of isoflurane, were sequentially acquired using electrode array and high-resolution MRI. It was found that under deeper anesthesia, the LFP powers in all layers were decreased but the BOLD signals were unexpectedly increased. Furthermore, the decreases of LFP powers were layer-independent, but the increases of BOLD signal were layer-specific, with the order of glomerular>mitral cell>granular cell layer. The results provide new evidence that the direct neural activity levels might not be correlated well with BOLD signals in some cases, and remind us that cautions should be taken to use BOLD signals as the index of neural activities.

Repeated BOLD-fMRI imaging of deep brain stimulation responses in rats

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a picture of the global spatial activation pattern of the brain. Interest is growing regarding the application of fMRI to rodent models to investigate adult brain plasticity. To date, most rodent studies used an electrical forepaw stimulation model to acquire fMRI data, with α-chloralose as the anesthetic. However, α-chloralose is harmful to animals, and not suitable for longitudinal studies. Moreover, peripheral stimulation models enable only a limited number of brain regions to be studied. Processing between peripheral regions and the brain is multisynaptic, and renders interpretation difficult and uncertain. In the present study, we combined the medetomidine-based fMRI protocol (a noninvasive rodent fMRI protocol) with chronic implantation of an MRI-compatible stimulation electrode in the ventroposterior (VP) thalamus to repetitively sample thalamocortical responses in the rat brain. Using this model, we scanned the forebrain responses evoked by the VP stimulation repeatedly of individual rats over 1 week. Cortical BOLD responses were compared between the 2 profiles obtained at day1 and day8. We discovered reproducible frequency- and amplitude-dependent BOLD responses in the ipsilateral somatosensory cortex (S1). The S1 BOLD responses during the 2 sessions were conserved in maximal response amplitude, area size (size ratio from 0.88 to 0.91), and location (overlap ratio from 0.61 to 0.67). The present study provides a long-term chronic brain stimulation protocol for studying the plasticity of specific neural circuits in the rodent brain by BOLD-fMRI.

Present status and future challenges of electroencephalography- and magnetic resonance imaging-based monitoring in preclinical models of focal cerebral ischemia

Animal models are useful tools for better understanding the mechanisms underlying neurological deterioration after an ischemic insult as well as subsequent evolution of changes and recovery of functions. In response to the updated requirements for preclinical investigations of stroke to include relevant functional measurement techniques and biomarker endpoints, we here review the state of knowledge on application of some translational electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods, and in particular, electroencephalography monitoring and magnetic resonance imaging in rodent models of ischemic stroke. This may lead to improvement of diagnostic methods and identification of new therapeutic targets, which would considerably advance the translational value of preclinical stroke research.

Fast hemodynamic responses in the visual cortex of the awake mouse

Hemodynamic responses in mice and other species are typically measured under anesthesia. However, anesthesia could influence their relationship to neural activity. To investigate this relationship, we used optical imaging in mouse primary visual cortex (V1). Hemodynamic responses yielded clear maps of retinotopy in both anesthetized and awake mice. However, during wakefulness, responses were four times larger and twice as fast. These differences held whether we induced anesthesia with urethane or isoflurane and whether awake mice were stationary or running on a treadmill. With electrode recordings, we established that the effects of wakefulness reflect changes in neurovascular coupling, not in neural activity. By activating V1 directly via optogenetics, we replicated the effects of wakefulness in terms of timing but not of amplitude. We conclude that neurovascular coupling depends critically on anesthesia and wakefulness: during wakefulness, neural activity is followed by much stronger and quicker hemodynamic responses.

An embedded four-channel receive-only RF coil array for fMRI experiments of the somatosensory pathway in conscious awake marmosets

fMRI has established itself as the main research tool in neuroscience and brain cognitive research. The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a non-human primate model of increasing interest in biomedical research. However, commercial MRI coils for marmosets are not generally available. The present work describes the design and construction of a four-channel receive-only surface RF coil array with excellent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) specifically optimized for fMRI experiments in awake marmosets in response to somatosensory stimulation. The array was designed as part of a helmet-based head restraint system used to prevent motion during the scans. High SNR was obtained by building the coil array using a thin and flexible substrate glued to the inner surface of the restraint helmet, so as to minimize the distance between the array elements and the somatosensory cortex. Decoupling between coil elements was achieved by partial geometrical overlapping and by connecting them to home-built low-input-impedance preamplifiers. In vivo images show excellent coverage of the brain cortical surface with high sensitivity near the somatosensory cortex. Embedding the coil elements within the restraint helmet allowed fMRI data in response to somatosensory stimulation to be collected with high sensitivity and reproducibility in conscious, awake marmosets.

Detection of functional connectivity in the resting mouse brain

Resting-state functional connectivity, manifested as spontaneous synchronous activity in the brain, has been detected by functional MRI (fMRI) across species such as humans, monkeys, and rats. Yet, most networks, especially the classical bilateral connectivity between hemispheres, have not been reliably found in the mouse brain. This could be due to anesthetic effects on neural activity and difficulty in maintaining proper physiology and neurovascular coupling in anesthetized mouse. For example, α2 adrenoceptor agonist, medetomidine, is a sedative for longitudinal mouse fMRI. However, the higher dosage needed compared to rats may suppress the functional synchrony and lead to unilateral connectivity. In this study, we investigated the influence of medetomidine dosage on neural activation and resting-state networks in mouse brain. We show that mouse can be stabilized with dosage as low as 0.1mg/kg/h. The stimulation-induced somatosensory activation was unchanged when medetomidine was increased from 0.1 to 6 and 10 folds. Especially, robust bilateral connectivity can be observed in the primary, secondary somatosensory and visual cortices, as well as the hippocampus, caudate putamen, and thalamus at low dose of medetomidine. Significant suppression of inter-hemispheric correlation was seen in the thalamus, where the receptor density is high, under 0.6mg/kg/h, and in all regions except the caudate, where the receptor density is low, under 1.0mg/kg/h. Furthermore, in mice whose activation was weaker or took longer time to detect, the bilateral connectivity was lower. This demonstrates that, with proper sedation and conservation of neurovascular coupling, similar bilateral networks like other species can be detected in the mouse brain.

Different TRPV1-mediated brain responses to intragastric infusion of capsaicin and capsiate

Capsaicin and capsiate, which is an analogue of capsaicin, are agonists of capsaicin-binding transient potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptors. However, their physiological effects are different. Capsaicin induces thermogenesis and nociception, while the different kinetics of capsiate result in thermogenesis without nociception in the oral cavity. In the present study, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we compared the brain activation after intragastric infusion of non-nociceptive levels of capsaicin and capsiate in wild-type and TRPV1-knockout (KO) mice. Capsaicin activated several brain regions, such as the periaqueductal grey (PAG), thalamic nuclei and hypothalamus, including the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH). Most of these areas were not activated in TRPV1-KO mice. Capsiate activated several regions, including the thalamic nuclei, mPOA and VMH but not PAG in wild-type mice. Most of the activated areas were not activated by intragastric capsiate infusion in TRPV1-KO mice. These results demonstrate that TRPV1 is critical for the induction of activation in the hypothalamus by capsaicin and capsiate, and these distinct brain activations could help to explain the individual physiological reactions of capsaicin and capsiate.

Neural correlate of resting-state functional connectivity under α2 adrenergic receptor agonist, medetomidine

Correlative fluctuations in functional MRI (fMRI) signals across the brain at rest have been taken as a measure of functional connectivity, but the neural basis of this resting-state MRI (rsMRI) signal is not clear. Previously, we found that the α2 adrenergic agonist, medetomidine, suppressed the rsMRI correlation dose-dependently but not the stimulus evoked activation. To understand the underlying electrophysiology and neurovascular coupling, which might be altered due to the vasoconstrictive nature of medetomidine, somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) and resting electroencephalography (EEG) were measured and correlated with corresponding BOLD signals in rat brains under three dosages of medetomidine. The SEP elicited by electrical stimulation to both forepaws was unchanged regardless of medetomidine dosage, which was consistent with the BOLD activation. Identical relationship between the SEP and BOLD signal under different medetomidine dosages indicates that the neurovascular coupling was not affected. Under resting state, EEG power was the same but a depression of inter-hemispheric EEG coherence in the gamma band was observed at higher medetomidine dosage. Different from medetomidine, both resting EEG power and BOLD power and coherence were significantly suppressed with increased isoflurane level. Such reduction was likely due to suppressed neural activity as shown by diminished SEP and BOLD activation under isoflurane, suggesting different mechanisms of losing synchrony at resting-state. Even though, similarity between electrophysiology and BOLD under stimulation and resting-state implicates a tight neurovascular coupling in both medetomidine and isoflurane. Our results confirm that medetomidine does not suppress neural activity but dissociates connectivity in the somatosensory cortex. The differential effect of medetomidine and its receptor specific action supports the neuronal origin of functional connectivity and implicates the mechanism of its sedative effect.

Mitochondrial calcium uptake capacity modulates neocortical excitability

Local calcium (Ca(2+)) changes regulate central nervous system metabolism and communication integrated by subcellular processes including mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake. Mitochondria take up Ca(2+) through the calcium uniporter (mCU) aided by cytoplasmic microdomains of high Ca(2+). Known only in vitro, the in vivo impact of mCU activity may reveal Ca(2+)-mediated roles of mitochondria in brain signaling and metabolism. From in vitro studies of mitochondrial Ca(2+) sequestration and cycling in various cell types of the central nervous system, we evaluated ranges of spontaneous and activity-induced Ca(2+) distributions in multiple subcellular compartments in vivo. We hypothesized that inhibiting (or enhancing) mCU activity would attenuate (or augment) cortical neuronal activity as well as activity-induced hemodynamic responses in an overall cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca(2+)-dependent manner. Spontaneous and sensory-evoked cortical activities were measured by extracellular electrophysiology complemented with dynamic mapping of blood oxygen level dependence and cerebral blood flow. Calcium uniporter activity was inhibited and enhanced pharmacologically, and its impact on the multimodal measures were analyzed in an integrated manner. Ru360, an mCU inhibitor, reduced all stimulus-evoked responses, whereas Kaempferol, an mCU enhancer, augmented all evoked responses. Collectively, the results confirm aforementioned hypotheses and support the Ca(2+) uptake-mediated integrative role of in vivo mitochondria on neocortical activity.