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Nyúl-Tóth Á, Negri S, Sanford M, Jiang R, Patai R, Budda M, Petersen B, Pinckard J, Chandragiri SS, Shi H, Reyff Z, Ballard C, Gulej R, Csik B, Ferrier J, Balasubramanian P, Yabluchanskiy A, Cleuren A, Conley S, Ungvari Z, Csiszar A, Tarantini S. Novel intravital approaches to quantify deep vascular structure and perfusion in the aging mouse brain using ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM). J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2024:271678X241260526. [PMID: 38867576 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x241260526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Intra-vital visualization of deep cerebrovascular structures and blood flow in the aging brain has been a difficult challenge in the field of neurovascular research, especially when considering the key role played by the cerebrovasculature in the pathogenesis of both vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Traditional imaging methods face difficulties with the thicker skull of older brains, making high-resolution imaging and cerebral blood flow (CBF) assessment challenging. However, functional ultrasound (fUS) imaging, an emerging non-invasive technique, provides real-time CBF insights with notable spatial-temporal resolution. This study introduces an enhanced longitudinal fUS method for aging brains. Using elderly (24-month C57BL/6) mice, we detail replacing the skull with a polymethylpentene window for consistent fUS imaging over extended periods. Ultrasound localization mapping (ULM), involving the injection of a microbubble (<<10 μm) suspension allows for recording of high-resolution microvascular vessels and flows. ULM relies on the localization and tracking of single circulating microbubbles in the blood flow. A FIJI-based analysis interprets these high-quality ULM visuals. Testing on older mouse brains, our method successfully unveils intricate vascular specifics even in-depth, showcasing its utility for longitudinal studies that require ongoing evaluations of CBF and vascular aspects in aging-focused research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ádám Nyúl-Tóth
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine/Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Sharon Negri
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Madison Sanford
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Raymond Jiang
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Roland Patai
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Madeline Budda
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Benjamin Petersen
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Jessica Pinckard
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Siva Sai Chandragiri
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Helen Shi
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Zeke Reyff
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Cade Ballard
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Rafal Gulej
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Boglarka Csik
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | | | - Priya Balasubramanian
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Andriy Yabluchanskiy
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Audrey Cleuren
- Cardiovascular Biology Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Shannon Conley
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Zoltan Ungvari
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine/Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Anna Csiszar
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine/Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Stefano Tarantini
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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2
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Binder NF, El Amki M, Glück C, Middleham W, Reuss AM, Bertolo A, Thurner P, Deffieux T, Lambride C, Epp R, Handelsmann HL, Baumgartner P, Orset C, Bethge P, Kulcsar Z, Aguzzi A, Tanter M, Schmid F, Vivien D, Wyss MT, Luft A, Weller M, Weber B, Wegener S. Leptomeningeal collaterals regulate reperfusion in ischemic stroke and rescue the brain from futile recanalization. Neuron 2024; 112:1456-1472.e6. [PMID: 38412858 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Recanalization is the mainstay of ischemic stroke treatment. However, even with timely clot removal, many stroke patients recover poorly. Leptomeningeal collaterals (LMCs) are pial anastomotic vessels with yet-unknown functions. We applied laser speckle imaging, ultrafast ultrasound, and two-photon microscopy in a thrombin-based mouse model of stroke and fibrinolytic treatment to show that LMCs maintain cerebral autoregulation and allow for gradual reperfusion, resulting in small infarcts. In mice with poor LMCs, distal arterial segments collapse, and deleterious hyperemia causes hemorrhage and mortality after recanalization. In silico analyses confirm the relevance of LMCs for preserving perfusion in the ischemic region. Accordingly, in stroke patients with poor collaterals undergoing thrombectomy, rapid reperfusion resulted in hemorrhagic transformation and unfavorable recovery. Thus, we identify LMCs as key components regulating reperfusion and preventing futile recanalization after stroke. Future therapeutic interventions should aim to enhance collateral function, allowing for beneficial reperfusion after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Felizitas Binder
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mohamad El Amki
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chaim Glück
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - William Middleham
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anna Maria Reuss
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Adrien Bertolo
- Iconeus, 6 rue Jean Calvin, Paris, France; Physics for Medicine, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, PSL Research University, 17 rue Moreau, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Thurner
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, France
| | - Thomas Deffieux
- Physics for Medicine, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, PSL Research University, 17 rue Moreau, Paris, France
| | - Chryso Lambride
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland; ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Robert Epp
- Institute of Fluid Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hannah-Lea Handelsmann
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Baumgartner
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Cyrille Orset
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, INSERM, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S U1237, Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders (PhIND), Institute Blood and Brain @ Caen Normandie, GIP Cyceron, Caen, France
| | - Philipp Bethge
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zsolt Kulcsar
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, France
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mickael Tanter
- Physics for Medicine, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, PSL Research University, 17 rue Moreau, Paris, France
| | - Franca Schmid
- ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Denis Vivien
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, INSERM, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S U1237, Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders (PhIND), Institute Blood and Brain @ Caen Normandie, GIP Cyceron, Caen, France; Department of Clinical Research, Caen Normandie University Hospital, Caen, France
| | - Matthias Tasso Wyss
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Luft
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Weller
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bruno Weber
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Susanne Wegener
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Lambert T, Brunner C, Kil D, Wuyts R, D'Hondt E, Montaldo G, Urban A. A deep learning classification task for brain navigation in rodents using micro-Doppler ultrasound imaging. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27432. [PMID: 38495198 PMCID: PMC10943389 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Positioning and navigation are essential components of neuroimaging as they improve the quality and reliability of data acquisition, leading to advances in diagnosis, treatment outcomes, and fundamental understanding of the brain. Functional ultrasound imaging is an emerging technology providing high-resolution images of the brain vasculature, allowing for the monitoring of brain activity. However, as the technology is relatively new, there is no standardized tool for inferring the position in the brain from the vascular images. In this study, we present a deep learning-based framework designed to address this challenge. Our approach uses an image classification task coupled with a regression on the resulting probabilities to determine the position of a single image. To evaluate its performance, we conducted experiments using a dataset of 51 rat brain scans. The training positions were extracted at intervals of 375 μm, resulting in a positioning error of 176 μm. Further GradCAM analysis revealed that the predictions were primarily driven by subcortical vascular structures. Finally, we assessed the robustness of our method in a cortical stroke where the brain vasculature is severely impaired. Remarkably, no specific increase in the number of misclassifications was observed, confirming the method's reliability in challenging conditions. Overall, our framework provides accurate and flexible positioning, not relying on a pre-registered reference but rather on conserved vascular patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Théo Lambert
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Imec, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Clément Brunner
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Imec, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dries Kil
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Imec, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Gabriel Montaldo
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Imec, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alan Urban
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Imec, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Lowerison MR, Vaithiyalingam Chandra Sekaran N, Dong Z, Chen X, You Q, Llano DA, Song P. Super-Resolution Ultrasound Reveals Cerebrovascular Impairment in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1251232024. [PMID: 38253533 PMCID: PMC10904092 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1251-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence has suggested a link between cerebrovascular disease and the cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease. However, detailed descriptions of microvascular changes across brain regions and how they relate to other more traditional pathology have been lacking. Additionally, the efforts to elucidate the interplay between cerebral microvascular function and Alzheimer's disease progression are complicated by the necessity of probing deep-brain structures since early-stage Alzheimer's disease typically involves hippocampal pathology. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in microvascular dynamics in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease using cohorts that were age-matched to wild-type controls. Data from both sexes were included in this study. Super-resolution ultrasound localization microscopy revealed microvascular functional and structural features throughout the whole brain depth to visualize and quantify. We found that functional decreases in hippocampal and entorhinal flow velocity preceded structural derangements in regional vascular density. Co-registered histological sectioning confirmed the regionalized perfusion deficits seen on ultrasound imaging, which were co-localized with amyloid beta plaque deposition. In addition to providing global vascular quantifications of deep brain structures with a high local resolution, this technology also permitted velocity-profile analysis of individual vessels and, in some cases, allowed for decoupling of arterial and venous flow contributions. These data suggest that microvascular pathology is an early and pervasive feature of Alzheimer's disease and may represent a novel therapeutic target for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Lowerison
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Nathiya Vaithiyalingam Chandra Sekaran
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Zhijie Dong
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Xi Chen
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Qi You
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Daniel A Llano
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Pengfei Song
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
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Zhang J, Gong C, Yang Z, Wei F, Sun X, Ji J, Zeng Y, Chang CF, Liu X, Nair DSR, Thomas BB, Zhou Q. Ultrasound Flow Imaging Study on Rat Brain with Ultrasound and Light Stimulations. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:174. [PMID: 38391660 PMCID: PMC10886342 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11020174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Functional ultrasound (fUS) flow imaging provides a non-invasive method for the in vivo study of cerebral blood flow and neural activity. This study used functional flow imaging to investigate rat brain's response to ultrasound and colored-light stimuli. Male Long-Evan rats were exposed to direct full-field strobe flashes light and ultrasound stimulation to their retinas, while brain activity was measured using high-frequency ultrasound imaging. Our study found that light stimuli, particularly blue light, elicited strong responses in the visual cortex and lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), as evidenced by changes in cerebral blood volume (CBV). In contrast, ultrasound stimulation elicited responses undetectable with fUS flow imaging, although these were observable when directly measuring the brain's electrical signals. These findings suggest that fUS flow imaging can effectively differentiate neural responses to visual stimuli, with potential applications in understanding visual processing and developing new diagnostic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhang Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Chen Gong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Zihan Yang
- Caruso Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Fan Wei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Xin Sun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jie Ji
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Yushun Zeng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Chi-Feng Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Xunan Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Deepthi S Rajendran Nair
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Biju B Thomas
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Qifa Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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Generowicz BS, Dijkhuizen S, Bosman LWJ, De Zeeuw CI, Koekkoek SKE, Kruizinga P. Swept-3-D Ultrasound Imaging of the Mouse Brain Using a Continuously Moving 1-D-Array-Part II: Functional Imaging. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2023; 70:1726-1738. [PMID: 37938952 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2023.3330343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Functional ultrasound (fUS) using a 1-D-array transducer normally is insufficient to capture volumetric functional activity due to being restricted to imaging a single brain slice at a time. Typically, for volumetric fUS, functional recordings are repeated many times as the transducer is moved to a new location after each recording, resulting in a nonunique average mapping of the brain response and long scan times. Our objective was to perform volumetric 3-D fUS in an efficient and cost-effective manner. This was achieved by mounting a 1-D-array transducer to a high-precision motorized linear stage and continuously translating over the mouse brain in a sweeping manner. We show how the speed at which the 1-D-array is translated over the brain affects the sampling of the hemodynamic response (HR) during visual stimulation as well as the quality of the resulting power Doppler image (PDI). Functional activation maps were compared between stationary recordings, where only one functional slice is obtained for every recording, and our swept-3-D method, where volumetric fUS was achieved in a single functional recording. The results show that the activation maps obtained with our method closely resemble those obtained during a stationary recording for that same location, while our method is not restricted to functional imaging of a single slice. Lastly, a mouse brain subvolume of ~6 mm is scanned at a volume rate of 1.5 s per volume, with a functional PDI reconstructed every [Formula: see text], highlighting swept-3-D's potential for volumetric fUS. Our method provides an affordable alternative to volumetric fUS using 2-D-matrix transducers, with a high SNR due to using a fully sampled 1-D-array transducer, and without the need to repeat functional measurements for every 2-D slice, as is most often the case when using a 1-D-array. This places our swept-3-D method as a potentially valuable addition to conventional 2-D fUS, especially when investigating whole-brain functional connectivity, or when shorter recording durations are desired.
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7
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Ionescu TM, Grohs-Metz G, Hengerer B. Functional ultrasound detects frequency-specific acute and delayed S-ketamine effects in the healthy mouse brain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1177428. [PMID: 37266546 PMCID: PMC10229773 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1177428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction S-ketamine has received great interest due to both its antidepressant effects and its potential to induce psychosis when administered subchronically. However, no studies have investigated both its acute and delayed effects using in vivo small-animal imaging. Recently, functional ultrasound (fUS) has emerged as a powerful alternative to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), outperforming it in sensitivity and in spatiotemporal resolution. In this study, we employed fUS to thoroughly characterize acute and delayed S-ketamine effects on functional connectivity (FC) within the same cohort at slow frequency bands ranging from 0.01 to 1.25 Hz, previously reported to exhibit FC. Methods We acquired fUS in a total of 16 healthy C57/Bl6 mice split in two cohorts (n = 8 received saline, n = 8 S-ketamine). One day after the first scans, performed at rest, the mice received the first dose of S-ketamine during the second measurement, followed by four further doses administered every 2 days. First, we assessed FC reproducibility and reliability at baseline in six frequency bands. Then, we investigated the acute and delayed effects at day 1 after the first dose and at day 9, 1 day after the last dose, for all bands, resulting in a total of four fUS measurements for every mouse. Results We found reproducible (r > 0.9) and reliable (r > 0.9) group-average readouts in all frequency bands, only the 0.01-0.27 Hz band performing slightly worse. Acutely, S-ketamine induced strong FC increases in five of the six bands, peaking in the 0.073-0.2 Hz band. These increases comprised both cortical and subcortical brain areas, yet were of a transient nature, FC almost returning to baseline levels towards the end of the scan. Intriguingly, we observed robust corticostriatal FC decreases in the fastest band acquired (0.75 Hz-1.25 Hz). These changes persisted to a weaker extent after 1 day and at this timepoint they were accompanied by decreases in the other five bands as well. After 9 days, the decreases in the 0.75-1.25 Hz band were maintained, however no changes between cohorts could be detected in any other bands. Discussion In summary, the study reports that acute and delayed ketamine effects in mice are not only dissimilar but have different directionalities in most frequency bands. The complementary readouts of the employed frequency bands recommend the use of fUS for frequency-specific investigation of pharmacological effects on FC.
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Blons M, Deffieux T, Osmanski BF, Tanter M, Berthon B. PerceptFlow: Real-Time Ultrafast Doppler Image Enhancement Using Deep Convolutional Neural Network and Perceptual Loss. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2023; 49:225-236. [PMID: 36244920 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2022.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ultrafast ultrasound is an emerging imaging modality derived from standard medical ultrasound. It allows for a high spatial resolution of 100 μm and a temporal resolution in the millisecond range with techniques such as ultrafast Doppler imaging. Ultrafast Doppler imaging has become a priceless tool for neuroscience, especially for visualizing functional vascular structures and navigating the brain in real time. Yet, the quality of a Doppler image strongly depends on experimental conditions and is easily subject to artifacts and deterioration, especially with transcranial imaging, which often comes at the cost of higher noise and lower sensitivity to small blood vessels. A common solution to better visualize brain vasculature is either accumulating more information, integrating the image over several seconds or using standard filter-based enhancement techniques, which often over-smooth the image, thus failing both to preserve sharp details and to improve our perception of the vasculature. In this study we propose combining the standard Doppler accumulation process with a real-time enhancement strategy, based on deep-learning techniques, using perceptual loss (PerceptFlow). With our perceptual approach, we bypass the need for long integration times to enhance Doppler images. We applied and evaluated our proposed method on transcranial Doppler images of mouse brains, outperforming state-of-the-art filters. We found that, in comparison to standard filters such as the Gaussian filter (GF) and block-matching and 3-D filtering (BM3D), PerceptFlow was capable of reducing background noise with a significant increase in contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio, as well as better preserving details without compromising spatial resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Blons
- Physics for Medicine Paris, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, and CNRS 8063, Paris, France.
| | - Thomas Deffieux
- Physics for Medicine Paris, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, and CNRS 8063, Paris, France
| | | | - Mickaël Tanter
- Physics for Medicine Paris, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, and CNRS 8063, Paris, France
| | - Béatrice Berthon
- Physics for Medicine Paris, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, and CNRS 8063, Paris, France
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Matei M, Bergel A, Pezet S, Tanter M. Global dissociation of the posterior amygdala from the rest of the brain during REM sleep. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1306. [PMID: 36443640 PMCID: PMC9705305 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04257-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) or paradoxical sleep is associated with intense neuronal activity, fluctuations in autonomic control, body paralysis and brain-wide hyperemia. The mechanisms and functions of these energy-demanding patterns remain elusive and a global picture of brain activation during REMS is currently missing. In the present work, we performed functional ultrasound imaging on rats over multiple coronal and sagittal brain sections during hundreds of spontaneous REMS episodes to provide the spatiotemporal dynamics of vascular activity in 259 brain regions spanning more than 2/3 of the total brain volume. We first demonstrate a dissociation between basal/midbrain and cortical structures, the first ones sustaining tonic activation during REMS while the others are activated in phasic bouts. Second, we isolated the vascular compartment in our recordings and identified arteries in the anterior part of the brain as strongly involved in the blood supply during REMS episodes. Finally, we report a peculiar activation pattern in the posterior amygdala, which is strikingly disconnected from the rest of the brain during most REMS episodes. This last finding suggests that the amygdala undergoes specific processing during REMS and may be linked to the regulation of emotions and the creation of dream content during this very state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Matei
- grid.15736.360000 0001 1882 0021Physics for Medicine Paris, Inserm U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, Paris Sciences et Lettres research University, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Bergel
- grid.15736.360000 0001 1882 0021Physics for Medicine Paris, Inserm U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, Paris Sciences et Lettres research University, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Pezet
- grid.15736.360000 0001 1882 0021Physics for Medicine Paris, Inserm U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, Paris Sciences et Lettres research University, Paris, France
| | - Mickaël Tanter
- grid.15736.360000 0001 1882 0021Physics for Medicine Paris, Inserm U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, Paris Sciences et Lettres research University, Paris, France
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Functional ultrasound imaging of recent and remote memory recall in the associative fear neural network in mice. Behav Brain Res 2022; 428:113862. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Demeulenaere O, Bertolo A, Pezet S, Ialy-Radio N, Osmanski B, Papadacci C, Tanter M, Deffieux T, Pernot M. In vivo whole brain microvascular imaging in mice using transcranial 3D Ultrasound Localization Microscopy. EBioMedicine 2022; 79:103995. [PMID: 35460988 PMCID: PMC9048085 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Non-invasive high-resolution imaging of the cerebral vascular anatomy and function is key for the study of intracranial aneurysms, stenosis, arteriovenous malformations, and stroke, but also neurological pathologies, such as degenerative diseases. Direct visualization of the microvascular networks in the whole brain remains however challenging in vivo. Methods In this work, we performed 3D ultrafast ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) using a 2D ultrasound matrix array and mapped the whole-brain microvasculature and flow at microscopic resolution in C57Bl6 mice in vivo. Findings We demonstrated that the mouse brain vasculature can be imaged directly through the intact skull at a spatial resolution of 20 µm and over the whole brain depth and at high temporal resolution (750 volumes.s−1). Individual microbubbles were tracked to estimate the flow velocities that ranged from 2 mm.s−1 in arterioles and venules up to 100 mm.s−1 in large vessels. The vascular maps were registered automatically with the Allen atlas in order to extract quantitative vascular parameters such as local flow rates and velocities in regions of interest. Interpretation We show the potential of 3D ULM to provide new insights into whole-brain vascular flow in mice models at unprecedented vascular scale for an in vivo technique. This technology is highly translational and has the potential to become a major tool for the clinical investigation of the cerebral microcirculation. Funding This study was supported by the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Program (FP/2007-2013) / ERC Grant Agreement n° 311025 and by the Fondation Bettencourt-Schueller under the program “Physics for Medicine”. We acknowledge the ART (Technological Research Accelerator) biomedical ultrasound program of INSERM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Demeulenaere
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, Inserm, CNRS, Institute of Physics for Medicine Paris, PSL University, ESPCI Paris, 17 rue Moreau, Paris 75012, France
| | - Adrien Bertolo
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, Inserm, CNRS, Institute of Physics for Medicine Paris, PSL University, ESPCI Paris, 17 rue Moreau, Paris 75012, France; Iconeus, Paris 75014, France
| | - Sophie Pezet
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, Inserm, CNRS, Institute of Physics for Medicine Paris, PSL University, ESPCI Paris, 17 rue Moreau, Paris 75012, France
| | - Nathalie Ialy-Radio
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, Inserm, CNRS, Institute of Physics for Medicine Paris, PSL University, ESPCI Paris, 17 rue Moreau, Paris 75012, France
| | | | - Clément Papadacci
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, Inserm, CNRS, Institute of Physics for Medicine Paris, PSL University, ESPCI Paris, 17 rue Moreau, Paris 75012, France
| | - Mickael Tanter
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, Inserm, CNRS, Institute of Physics for Medicine Paris, PSL University, ESPCI Paris, 17 rue Moreau, Paris 75012, France
| | - Thomas Deffieux
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, Inserm, CNRS, Institute of Physics for Medicine Paris, PSL University, ESPCI Paris, 17 rue Moreau, Paris 75012, France
| | - Mathieu Pernot
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, Inserm, CNRS, Institute of Physics for Medicine Paris, PSL University, ESPCI Paris, 17 rue Moreau, Paris 75012, France.
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Orlacchio R, Percherancier Y, Poulletier De Gannes F, Hurtier A, Lagroye I, Leveque P, Arnaud-Cormos D. In Vivo Functional Ultrasound (fUS) Real-Time Imaging and Dosimetry of Mice Brain Under Radiofrequency Exposure. Bioelectromagnetics 2022; 43:257-267. [PMID: 35485721 DOI: 10.1002/bem.22403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to analyze in real-time the potential modifications induced by low-level continuous-wave and Global System for Mobile Communications radiofrequency (RF) exposure at 1.8 GHz on brain activation in anesthetized mice. A specific in vivo experimental setup consisting of a dipole antenna for the local exposure of the brain was fully characterized. A unique neuroimaging technique based on a functional ultrasound (fUS) probe was used to observe the areas of mice brain activation simultaneously to the RF exposure with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution (~100 μm, 1 ms) following manual whisker stimulation using a brush. Numerical and experimental dosimetry was carried out to characterize the exposure and to guarantee the validity of the biological results. Our results show that the fUS probe can be efficiently used during in vivo exposure without interference with the dipole. In addition, we conclude that exposure to brain-averaged specific absorption rate levels of 2 and 6 W/kg does not introduce significant changes in the time course of the evoked fUS response in the left barrel field cortex. The proposed technique represents a valuable instrument for providing new insights into the possible effects induced on brain activation under RF exposure. For the first time, brain activity under mobile phone exposure was evaluated in vivo with fUS imaging, paving the way for more realistic exposure configurations, i.e. awake mice and new signals such as the 5 G networks. © 2022 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Orlacchio
- CNRS, XLIM, UMR 7252, University of Limoges, Limoges, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Delia Arnaud-Cormos
- CNRS, XLIM, UMR 7252, University of Limoges, Limoges, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
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