Steward CA, Marsden CA, Prior MJW, Morris PG, Shah YB. Methodological considerations in rat brain BOLD contrast pharmacological MRI.
Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2005;
180:687-704. [PMID:
15778890 DOI:
10.1007/s00213-005-2213-7]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2004] [Accepted: 02/14/2005] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES
Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) is an increasingly popular technique that allows the non-invasive investigation of spatial and temporal changes in rat brain function in response to pharmacological stimulation in vivo. Rat brain BOLD contrast phMRI is, at present, established in few neuropharmacological laboratories, and various issues associated with the technique require attention. The present review is primarily aimed at psychopharmacologists with no previous experience of phMRI, who are interested in the practical aspects that phMRI studies entail.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Experimental and analytical considerations, including anaesthesia, physiological monitoring, drug dose and delivery, scanning protocols, statistical approaches and the interpretation of phMRI data, are discussed.
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