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Nakaya M, Sato N, Matsuda H, Maikusa N, Ota M, Shigemoto Y, Sone D, Yamao T, Kimura Y, Tsukamoto T, Yokoi Y, Sakata M, Abe O. Assessment of Gray Matter Microstructural Alterations in Alzheimer's Disease by Free Water Imaging. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 99:1441-1453. [PMID: 38759008 PMCID: PMC11191448 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231416] [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] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Background Cortical neurodegenerative processes may precede the emergence of disease symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) by many years. No study has evaluated the free water of patients with AD using gray matter-based spatial statistics. Objective The aim of this study was to explore cortical microstructural changes within the gray matter in AD by using free water imaging with gray matter-based spatial statistics. Methods Seventy-one participants underwent multi-shell diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, 11C-Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography, and neuropsychological evaluations. The patients were divided into two groups: healthy controls (n = 40) and the AD spectrum group (n = 31). Differences between the groups were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry, diffusion tensor imaging, and free water imaging with gray matter-based spatial statistics. Results Voxel-based morphometry analysis revealed gray matter volume loss in the hippocampus of patients with AD spectrum compared to that in controls. Furthermore, patients with AD spectrum exhibited significantly greater free water, mean diffusivity, and radial diffusivity in the limbic areas, precuneus, frontal lobe, temporal lobe, right putamen, and cerebellum than did the healthy controls. Overall, the effect sizes of free water were greater than those of mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity, and the larger effect sizes of free water were thought to be strongly correlated with AD pathology. Conclusions This study demonstrates the utility of applying voxel-based morphometry, gray matter-based spatial statistics, free water imaging and diffusion tensor imaging to assess AD pathology and detect changes in gray matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moto Nakaya
- Department of Radiology, National Center Hospital of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriko Sato
- Department of Radiology, National Center Hospital of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Matsuda
- Department of Radiology, National Center Hospital of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
- Drug Discovery and Cyclotron Research Center, Southern TOHOKU Research Institute for Neuroscience, Koriyama, Japan
| | - Norihide Maikusa
- Department of Radiology, National Center Hospital of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miho Ota
- Department of Radiology, National Center Hospital of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yoko Shigemoto
- Department of Radiology, National Center Hospital of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daichi Sone
- Department of Psychiatry, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tensho Yamao
- Department of Radiological Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Yukio Kimura
- Department of Radiology, National Center Hospital of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tadashi Tsukamoto
- Department of Neurology, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuma Yokoi
- Department of Educational Promotion, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masuhiro Sakata
- Department of Psychiatry Saitama Prefectural Psychiatric Hospital, Saitama, Japan
| | - Osamu Abe
- Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Bergamino M, Nelson MR, Numani A, Scarpelli M, Healey D, Fuentes A, Turner G, Stokes AM. Assessment of complementary white matter microstructural changes and grey matter atrophy in a preclinical model of Alzheimer's disease. Magn Reson Imaging 2023; 101:57-66. [PMID: 37028608 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2023.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been associated with amyloid and tau pathology, as well as neurodegeneration. Beyond these hallmark features, white matter microstructural abnormalities have been observed using MRI. The objective of this study was to assess grey matter atrophy and white matter microstructural changes in a preclinical mouse model of AD (3xTg-AD) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and free-water (FW) diffusion tensor imaging (FW-DTI). Compared to controls, lower grey matter density was observed in the 3xTg-AD model, corresponding to the small clusters in the caudate-putamen, hypothalamus, and cortex. DTI-based fractional anisotropy (FA) was decreased in the 3xTg model, while the FW index was increased. Notably, the largest clusters for both FW-FA and FW index were in the fimbria, with other regions including the anterior commissure, corpus callosum, forebrain septum, and internal capsule. Additionally, the presence of amyloid and tau in the 3xTg model was confirmed with histopathology, with significantly higher levels observed across many regions of the brain. Taken together, these results are consistent with subtle neurodegenerative and white matter microstructural changes in the 3xTg-AD model that manifest as increased FW, decreased FW-FA, and decreased grey matter density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Bergamino
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Megan R Nelson
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Asfia Numani
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Matthew Scarpelli
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Deborah Healey
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Alberto Fuentes
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Gregory Turner
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Ashley M Stokes
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA.
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Shih NC, Kurniawan ND, Cabeen RP, Korobkova L, Wong E, Chui HC, Clark KA, Miller CA, Hawes D, Jones KT, Sepehrband F. Microstructural mapping of dentate gyrus pathology in Alzheimer's disease: A 16.4 Tesla MRI study. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 37:103318. [PMID: 36630864 PMCID: PMC9841366 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The dentate gyrus (DG) is an integral portion of the hippocampal formation, and it is composed of three layers. Quantitative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has the capability to map brain tissue microstructural properties which can be exploited to investigate neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, assessing subtle pathological changes within layers requires high resolution imaging and histological validation. In this study, we utilized a 16.4 Tesla scanner to acquire ex vivo multi-parameter quantitative MRI measures in human specimens across the layers of the DG. Using quantitative diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and multi-parameter MR measurements acquired from AD (N = 4) and cognitively normal control (N = 6) tissues, we performed correlation analyses with histological measurements. Here, we found that quantitative MRI measures were significantly correlated with neurofilament and phosphorylated Tau density, suggesting sensitivity to layer-specific changes in the DG of AD tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nien-Chu Shih
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Nyoman D Kurniawan
- Center for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Ryan P Cabeen
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Laura Korobkova
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089. USA
| | - Ellen Wong
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Department of Neurology, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA 90242, USA
| | - Helena C Chui
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Kristi A Clark
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Carol A Miller
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Debra Hawes
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Kymry T Jones
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
| | - Farshid Sepehrband
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
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Falangola MF, Nie X, Voltin J, Ward R, Dhiman S, Nietert PJ, Jensen JH. Brain microstructure abnormalities in the 3xTg-AD mouse - A diffusion MRI and morphology correlation study. Magn Reson Imaging 2022; 94:48-55. [PMID: 36116712 PMCID: PMC9695071 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2022.09.002] [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: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The widely studied triple transgenic (3xTg-AD) mouse provides a robust model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with region dependent patterns of progressive amyloid-β (Aß) and tau pathology. Using diffusion MRI (dMRI), we investigated the sensitivity of dMRI measures in capturing AD pathology associated microstructure alterations in older 3xTg-AD mice, and the degree to which dMRI changes correlate with measurements of Aβ and tau pathology. 3xTg-AD and normal control (NC) mice, 15 to 21 months of age, were used in this study. In vivo dMRI data were acquired for the generation of diffusion tensor (DT) and diffusional kurtosis (DK) measures within the hippocampus and fimbria (Fi). For these same brain regions, Aβ and tau pathology were quantified by morphological analysis of Aß1-42 and AT8 immunoreactivity. Two-tailed, two-sample t-tests were performed to assess group differences in each brain region of interest (ROI), with the Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) method being applied to adjust for multiple comparisons. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to investigate associations between diffusion and morphological measures. Our results revealed, depending on the brain region, DT and DK measures were able to detect group differences. In the dorsal hippocampus (HD), fractional anisotropy (FA) was significantly higher in the 3xTg-AD mice compared with NC mice. In the subiculum (SUB), FA, axial diffusivity (D||) and radial kurtosis (K┴) were significantly higher in 3xTg-AD mice compared with NC mice. Morphological quantification of Aß1-42 and AT8 immunoreactivity showed elevated Aß and tau in the Fi, ventral hippocampus (HV) and SUB of 3xTg-AD mice. The presence of Aβ and tau was significantly correlated with several DT and DK measures, particularly in the SUB, where an increase in tau correlated with an increase in mean kurtosis (MK) and K┴. This work demonstrates significant dMRI differences between older 3xTg-AD and NC mice in the hippocampus and Fi. Significant correlations were found between dMRI and morphological measures of Aβ and tau pathology. These results support the potential of dMRI-derived parameters as biomarkers of AD pathology. Since the imaging methods employed here are easily translatable to clinical MRI, our results are also relevant for human AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Fatima Falangola
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Xingju Nie
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Joshua Voltin
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Ralph Ward
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Siddhartha Dhiman
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Paul J Nietert
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Jens H Jensen
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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Zhao Z, Zhang L, Luo W, Cao Z, Zhu Q, Kong X, Zhu K, Zhang J, Wu D. Layer-specific microstructural patterns of anterior hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease with ex vivo diffusion MRI at 14.1 T. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 44:458-471. [PMID: 36053237 PMCID: PMC9842914 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26062] [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: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
High-resolution ex vivo diffusion MRI (dMRI) can provide exquisite mesoscopic details and microstructural information of the human brain. Microstructural pattern of the anterior part of human hippocampus, however, has not been well elucidated with ex vivo dMRI, either in normal or disease conditions. The present study collected high-resolution (0.1 mm isotropic) dMRI of post-mortem anterior hippocampal tissues from four Alzheimer's diseases (AD), three primary age-related tauopathy (PART), and three healthy control (HC) brains on a 14.1 T spectrometer. We evaluated how AD affected dMRI-based microstructural features in different layers and subfields of anterior hippocampus. In the HC samples, we found higher anisotropy, lower diffusivity, and more streamlines in the layers within cornu ammonis (CA) than those within dentate gyrus (DG). Comparisons between disease groups showed that (1) anisotropy measurements in the CA layers of AD, especially stratum lacunosum (SL) and stratum radiatum (SR), had higher regional variability than the other two groups; (2) streamline density in the DG layers showed a gradually increased variance from HC to PART to AD; (3) AD also showed the higher variability in terms of inter-layer connectivity than HC or PART. Moreover, voxelwise correlation analysis between the coregistered dMRI and histopathology images revealed significant correlations between dMRI measurements and the contents of amyloid beta (Aβ)/tau protein in specific layers of AD samples. These findings may reflect layer-specific microstructural characteristics in different hippocampal subfields at the mesoscopic resolution, which were associated with protein deposition in the anterior hippocampus of AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Lei Zhang
- China Brain Bank and Department of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, and Department of NeurobiologyZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Wanrong Luo
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Zuozhen Cao
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Qinfeng Zhu
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Xueqian Kong
- Department of ChemistryZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Keqing Zhu
- China Brain Bank and Department of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, and Department of NeurobiologyZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Jing Zhang
- China Brain Bank and Department of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, and Department of NeurobiologyZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina,Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital and School of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Dan Wu
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
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Maharjan S, Tsai AP, Lin PB, Ingraham C, Jewett MR, Landreth GE, Oblak AL, Wang N. Age-dependent microstructure alterations in 5xFAD mice by high-resolution diffusion tensor imaging. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:964654. [PMID: 36061588 PMCID: PMC9428354 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.964654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate the age-dependent microstructure changes in 5xFAD mice using high-resolution diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods The 5xFAD mice at 4, 7.5, and 12 months and the wild-type controls at 4 months were scanned at 9.4T using a 3D echo-planar imaging (EPI) pulse sequence with the isotropic spatial resolution of 100 μm. The b-value was 3000 s/mm2 for all the diffusion MRI scans. The samples were also acquired with a gradient echo pulse sequence at 50 μm isotropic resolution. The microstructure changes were quantified with DTI metrics, including fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). The conventional histology was performed to validate with MRI findings. Results The FA values (p = 0.028) showed significant differences in the cortex between wild-type (WT) and 5xFAD mice at 4 months, while hippocampus, anterior commissure, corpus callosum, and fornix showed no significant differences for either FA and MD. FA values of 5xFAD mice gradually decreased in cortex (0.140 ± 0.007 at 4 months, 0.132 ± 0.008 at 7.5 months, 0.126 ± 0.013 at 12 months) and fornix (0.140 ± 0.007 at 4 months, 0.132 ± 0.008 at 7.5 months, 0.126 ± 0.013 at 12 months) with aging. Both FA (p = 0.029) and MD (p = 0.037) demonstrated significant differences in corpus callosum between 4 and 12 months age old. FA and MD were not significantly different in the hippocampus or anterior commissure. The age-dependent microstructure alterations were better captured by FA when compared to MD. Conclusion FA showed higher sensitivity to monitor amyloid deposition in 5xFAD mice. DTI may be utilized as a sensitive biomarker to monitor beta-amyloid progression for preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra Maharjan
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Andy P. Tsai
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Peter B. Lin
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Cynthia Ingraham
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Megan R. Jewett
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Gary E. Landreth
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Adrian L. Oblak
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Nian Wang
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- *Correspondence: Nian Wang,
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7
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Neuroimaging of Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020305. [PMID: 35203515 PMCID: PMC8869427 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) have made great strides in the diagnosis and our understanding of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Despite the knowledge gained from human studies, mouse models have and continue to play an important role in deciphering the cellular and molecular evolution of AD. MRI and PET are now being increasingly used to investigate neuroimaging features in mouse models and provide the basis for rapid translation to the clinical setting. Here, we provide an overview of the human MRI and PET imaging landscape as a prelude to an in-depth review of preclinical imaging in mice. A broad range of mouse models recapitulate certain aspects of the human AD, but no single model simulates the human disease spectrum. We focused on the two of the most popular mouse models, the 3xTg-AD and the 5xFAD models, and we summarized all known published MRI and PET imaging data, including contrasting findings. The goal of this review is to provide the reader with broad framework to guide future studies in existing and future mouse models of AD. We also highlight aspects of MRI and PET imaging that could be improved to increase rigor and reproducibility in future imaging studies.
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Ni R. Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Animal Models of Alzheimer's Disease Amyloidosis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12768. [PMID: 34884573 PMCID: PMC8657987 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-beta (Aβ) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Aberrant Aβ accumulation induces neuroinflammation, cerebrovascular alterations, and synaptic deficits, leading to cognitive impairment. Animal models recapitulating the Aβ pathology, such as transgenic, knock-in mouse and rat models, have facilitated the understanding of disease mechanisms and the development of therapeutics targeting Aβ. There is a rapid advance in high-field MRI in small animals. Versatile high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences, such as diffusion tensor imaging, arterial spin labeling, resting-state functional MRI, anatomical MRI, and MR spectroscopy, as well as contrast agents, have been developed for preclinical imaging in animal models. These tools have enabled high-resolution in vivo structural, functional, and molecular readouts with a whole-brain field of view. MRI has been used to visualize non-invasively the Aβ deposits, synaptic deficits, regional brain atrophy, impairment in white matter integrity, functional connectivity, and cerebrovascular and glymphatic system in animal models of Alzheimer's disease amyloidosis. Many of the readouts are translational toward clinical MRI applications in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in MRI for visualizing the pathophysiology in amyloidosis animal models. We discuss the outstanding challenges in brain imaging using MRI in small animals and propose future outlook in visualizing Aβ-related alterations in the brains of animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqing Ni
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich & University of Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland;
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Zurich, Switzerland
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Zhang PF, Hu H, Tan L, Yu JT. Microglia Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:3388-3404. [PMID: 33713018 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02348-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Early detection and clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have become an extremely important link in the prevention and treatment of AD. Because of the occult onset, the diagnosis and treatment of AD based on clinical symptoms are increasingly challenged by current severe situations. Therefore, molecular diagnosis models based on early AD pathological markers have received more attention. Among the possible pathological mechanisms, microglia which are necessary for normal brain function are highly expected and have been continuously studied in various models. Several AD biomarkers already exist, but currently there is a paucity of specific and sensitive microglia biomarkers which can accurately measure preclinical AD. Bringing microglia biomarkers into the molecular diagnostic system which is based on fluid and neuroimaging will play an important role in future scientific research and clinical practice. Furthermore, developing novel, more specific, and sensitive microglia biomarkers will make it possible to pharmaceutically target chemical pathways that preserve beneficial microglial functions in response to AD pathology. This review discusses microglia biomarkers in the context of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Fei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, No.5 Donghai Middle Road, Qingdao, China
| | - Hao Hu
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, No.5 Donghai Middle Road, Qingdao, China
| | - Lan Tan
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, No.5 Donghai Middle Road, Qingdao, China.
| | - Jin-Tai Yu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Soni N, Medeiros R, Alateeq K, To XV, Nasrallah FA. Diffusion Tensor Imaging Detects Acute Pathology-Specific Changes in the P301L Tauopathy Mouse Model Following Traumatic Brain Injury. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:611451. [PMID: 33716645 PMCID: PMC7943881 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.611451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been linked with tauopathy. However, imaging methods that can non-invasively detect tau-protein abnormalities following TBI need further investigation. This study aimed to investigate the potential of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to detect tauopathy following TBI in P301L mutant-tau-transgenic-pR5-mice. A total of 24 9-month-old pR5 mice were randomly assigned to sham and TBI groups. Controlled cortical injuries/craniotomies were performed for TBI/sham groups followed by DTI data acquisition on days 1 and 7 post-injury. DTI data were analyzed by using voxelwise analysis and track-based spatial statistics for gray matter and white matter. Further, immunohistochemistry was performed for total-tau and phosphorylated-tau, astrocytes, and microglia. To detect the association of DTI with these pathological markers, a correlation analysis was performed between DTI and histology findings. At day 1 post-TBI, DTI revealed a widespread reduction in fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity (AxD) in the TBI group compared to shams. On day 7, further reduction in FA, AxD, and mean diffusivity and increased radial diffusivity were observed. FA was significantly increased in the amygdala and cortex. Correlation results showed that in the ipsilateral hemisphere FA reduction was associated with increased phosphorylated-tau and glial-immunoreactivity, whereas in the contralateral regions, the FA increase was associated with increased immunostaining for astrocytes. This study is the first to exploit DTI to investigate the effect of TBI in tau-transgenic mice. We show that alterations in the DTI signal were associated with glial activity following TBI and would most likely reflect changes that co-occur with/without phosphorylated-tau. In addition, FA may be a promising measure to identify discrete pathological processes such as increased astroglia activation, tau-hyperphosphorylation or both in the brain following TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Soni
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Rodrigo Medeiros
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Khawlah Alateeq
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Xuan Vinh To
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Fatima A Nasrallah
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
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Eed A, Cerdán Cerdá A, Lerma J, De Santis S. Diffusion-weighted MRI in neurodegenerative and psychiatric animal models: Experimental strategies and main outcomes. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 343:108814. [PMID: 32569785 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical MRI approaches constitute a key tool to study a wide variety of neurological and psychiatric illnesses, allowing a more direct investigation of the disorder substrate and, at the same time, the possibility of back-translating such findings to human subjects. However, the lack of consensus on the optimal experimental scheme used to acquire the data has led to relatively high heterogeneity in the choice of protocols, which can potentially impact the comparison between results obtained by different groups, even using the same animal model. This is especially true for diffusion-weighted MRI data, where certain experimental choices can impact not only on the accuracy and precision of the extracted biomarkers, but also on their biological meaning. With this in mind, we extensively examined preclinical imaging studies that used diffusion-weighted MRI to investigate neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in rodent models. In this review, we discuss the main findings for each preclinical model, with a special focus on the analysis and comparison of the different acquisition strategies used across studies and their impact on the heterogeneity of the findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amr Eed
- Instituto de Neurociencias, CSIC, UMH, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | | | - Juan Lerma
- Instituto de Neurociencias, CSIC, UMH, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Silvia De Santis
- Instituto de Neurociencias, CSIC, UMH, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain; CUBRIC, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
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12
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Müller HP, Roselli F, Rasche V, Kassubek J. Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Based Studies at the Group-Level Applied to Animal Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:734. [PMID: 32982659 PMCID: PMC7487414 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The understanding of human and non-human microstructural brain alterations in the course of neurodegenerative diseases has substantially improved by the non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Animal models (including disease or knockout models) allow for a variety of experimental manipulations, which are not applicable to humans. Thus, the DTI approach provides a promising tool for cross-species cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations of the neurobiological targets and mechanisms of neurodegeneration. This overview with a systematic review focuses on the principles of DTI analysis as used in studies at the group level in living preclinical models of neurodegeneration. The translational aspect from in-vivo animal models toward (clinical) applications in humans is covered as well as the DTI-based research of the non-human brains' microstructure, the methodological aspects in data processing and analysis, and data interpretation at different abstraction levels. The aim of integrating DTI in multiparametric or multimodal imaging protocols will allow the interrogation of DTI data in terms of directional flow of information and may identify the microstructural underpinnings of neurodegeneration-related patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesco Roselli
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Volker Rasche
- Core Facility Small Animal MRI, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Kassubek
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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13
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Güell-Bosch J, Lope-Piedrafita S, Esquerda-Canals G, Montoliu-Gaya L, Villegas S. Progression of Alzheimer's disease and effect of scFv-h3D6 immunotherapy in the 3xTg-AD mouse model: An in vivo longitudinal study using Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2020; 33:e4263. [PMID: 32067292 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable disease that affects most of the 47 million people estimated as living with dementia worldwide. The main histopathological hallmarks of AD are extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. In recent years, Aβ-immunotherapy has been revealed as a potential tool in AD treatment. One strategy consists of using single-chain variable fragments (scFvs), which avoids the fragment crystallizable (Fc) effects that are supposed to trigger a microglial response, leading to microhemorrhages and vasogenic edemas, as evidenced in clinical trials with bapineuzumab. The scFv-h3D6 generated by our research group derives from this monoclonal antibody, which targets the N-terminal of the Aβ peptide and recognizes monomers, oligomers and fibrils. In this study, 3xTg-AD mice were intraperitoneally and monthly treated with 100 μg of scFv-h3D6 (a dose of ~3.3 mg/kg) or PBS, from 5 to 12 months of age (-mo), the age at which the mice were sacrificed and samples collected for histological and biochemical analyses. During treatments, four monitoring sessions using magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI/MRS) were performed at 5, 7, 9, and 12 months of age. MRI/MRS techniques are widely used in both human and mouse research, allowing to draw an in vivo picture of concrete aspects of the pathology in a non-invasive manner and allowing to monitor its development across time. Compared with the genetic background, 3xTg-AD mice presented a smaller volume in almost all cerebral regions and ages examined, an increase in both the intra and extracellular Aβ1-42 at 12-mo, and an inflammation process at this age, in both the hippocampus (IL-6 and mIns) and cortex (IL-6). In addition, treatment with scFv-h3D6 partially recovered the values in brain volume, and Aβ, IL-6, and mIns concentrations, among others, encouraging further studies with this antibody fragment.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Güell-Bosch
- Protein Design and Immunotherapy Group, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S Lope-Piedrafita
- Servei de Ressonància Magnètica Nuclear, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - G Esquerda-Canals
- Protein Design and Immunotherapy Group, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - L Montoliu-Gaya
- Protein Design and Immunotherapy Group, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S Villegas
- Protein Design and Immunotherapy Group, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
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14
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Multiple inflammatory profiles of microglia and altered neuroimages in APP/PS1 transgenic AD mice. Brain Res Bull 2020; 156:86-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2020.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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15
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Colon-Perez LM, Ibanez KR, Suarez M, Torroella K, Acuna K, Ofori E, Levites Y, Vaillancourt DE, Golde TE, Chakrabarty P, Febo M. Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging reveals white matter and hippocampal microstructure changes produced by Interleukin-6 in the TgCRND8 mouse model of amyloidosis. Neuroimage 2019; 202:116138. [PMID: 31472250 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) plaque deposits and inflammatory immune activation are thought to alter various aspects of tissue microstructure, such as extracellular free water, fractional anisotropy and diffusivity, as well as the density and geometric arrangement of axonal processes. Quantifying these microstructural changes in Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative dementias could serve to monitor or predict disease course. In the present study we used high-field diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) to investigate the effects of Aβ and inflammatory interleukin-6 (IL6), alone or in combination, on in vivo tissue microstructure in the TgCRND8 mouse model of Alzheimer's-type Aβ deposition. TgCRND8 and non-transgenic (nTg) mice expressing brain-targeted IL6 or enhanced glial fibrillary protein (EGFP controls) were scanned at 8 months of age using a 2-shell, 54-gradient direction dMRI sequence at 11.1 T. Images were processed using the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) model or the neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) model. DTI and NODDI processing in TgCRND8 mice revealed a microstructure pattern in white matter (WM) and hippocampus consistent with radial and longitudinal diffusivity deficits along with an increase in density and geometric complexity of axonal and dendritic processes. This included reduced FA, mean, axial and radial diffusivity, and increased orientation dispersion (ODI) and intracellular volume fraction (ICVF) measured in WM and hippocampus. IL6 produced a 'protective-like' effect on WM FA in TgCRND8 mice, observed as an increased FA that counteracted a reduction in FA observed with endogenous Aβ production and accumulation. In addition, we found that ICVF and ODI had an inverse relationship with the functional connectome clustering coefficient. The relationship between NODDI and graph theory metrics suggests that currently unknown microstructure alterations in WM and hippocampus are associated with diminished functional network organization in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M Colon-Perez
- Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Kristen R Ibanez
- Center for Translational Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Mallory Suarez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Kristin Torroella
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Kelly Acuna
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Edward Ofori
- Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Yona Levites
- Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Center for Translational Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - David E Vaillancourt
- Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Facility, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Todd E Golde
- Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Center for Translational Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Paramita Chakrabarty
- Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Center for Translational Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States.
| | - Marcelo Febo
- Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Facility, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States.
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16
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Nie X, Falangola MF, Ward R, McKinnon ET, Helpern JA, Nietert PJ, Jensen JH. Diffusion MRI detects longitudinal white matter changes in the 3xTg-AD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Magn Reson Imaging 2019; 57:235-242. [PMID: 30543850 PMCID: PMC6331227 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The sensitivity of multiple diffusion MRI (dMRI) parameters to longitudinal changes in white matter microstructure was investigated for the 3xTg-AD transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, which manifests both amyloid beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. By employing a specific dMRI method known as diffusional kurtosis imaging, eight different diffusion parameters were quantified to characterize distinct aspects of water diffusion. Four female 3xTg-AD mice were imaged at five time points, ranging from 4.5 to 18 months of age, and the diffusion parameters were investigated in four white matter regions (fimbria, external capsule, internal capsule and corpus callosum). Significant changes were observed in several diffusion parameters, particularly in the fimbria and in the external capsule, with a statistically significant decrease in diffusivity and a statistically significant increase in kurtosis. Our preliminary results demonstrate that dMRI can detect microstructural changes in white matter for the 3xTg-AD mouse model due to aging and/or progression of pathology, depending strongly on the diffusion parameter and anatomical region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingju Nie
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Maria Fatima Falangola
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Ralph Ward
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Emilie T McKinnon
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Joseph A Helpern
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Paul J Nietert
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Jens H Jensen
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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17
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Manno FAM, Isla AG, Manno SHC, Ahmed I, Cheng SH, Barrios FA, Lau C. Early Stage Alterations in White Matter and Decreased Functional Interhemispheric Hippocampal Connectivity in the 3xTg Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:39. [PMID: 30967770 PMCID: PMC6440287 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized in the late stages by amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Nevertheless, recent evidence has indicated that early changes in cerebral connectivity could compromise cognitive functions even before the appearance of the classical neuropathological features. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and volumetry were performed in the triple transgenic mouse model of AD (3xTg-AD) at 2 months of age, prior to the development of intraneuronal plaque accumulation. We found the 3xTg-AD had significant fractional anisotropy (FA) increase and radial diffusivity (RD) decrease in the cortex compared with wild-type controls, while axial diffusivity (AD) and mean diffusivity (MD) were similar. Interhemispheric hippocampal connectivity was decreased in the 3xTg-AD while connectivity in the caudate putamen (CPu) was similar to controls. Most surprising, ventricular volume in the 3xTg-AD was four times larger than controls. The results obtained in this study characterize the early stage changes in interhemispheric hippocampal connectivity in the 3xTg-AD mouse that could represent a translational biomarker to human models in preclinical stages of the AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis A M Manno
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.,Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Arturo G Isla
- Neuronal Oscillations Laboratory, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sinai H C Manno
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution (SKLMP), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Irfan Ahmed
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.,Electrical Engineering Department, Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur, Pakistan
| | - Shuk Han Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution (SKLMP), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Fernando A Barrios
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Condon Lau
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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18
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Adlimoghaddam A, Snow WM, Stortz G, Perez C, Djordjevic J, Goertzen AL, Ko JH, Albensi BC. Regional hypometabolism in the 3xTg mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 127:264-277. [PMID: 30878533 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive age-related neurodegenerative disease. Although neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid beta are classic hallmarks of AD, the earliest deficits in AD progression may be caused by unknown factors. One suspected factor has to do with brain energy metabolism. To investigate this factor, brain metabolic activity in 3xTg-AD mice and age-matched controls were measured with FDG-PET. Significant hypometabolic changes (p < .01) in brain metabolism were detected in the cortical piriform and insular regions of AD brains relative to controls. These regions are associated with olfaction, which is a potential clinical marker for AD progression as well as neurogenesis. The activity of the terminal component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain (complex IV) and the expression of complex I-V were significantly decreased (p < .05), suggesting that impaired metabolic activity coupled with impaired oxidative phosphorylation leads to decreased mitochondrial bioenergetics and subsequent Neurodegeneration. Although there is an association between neuroinflammatory pathological markers (microglial) and hypometabolism in AD, there was no association found between neuropathological (Aβ, tau, and astrocytes) and functional changes in AD sensitive brain regions, also suggesting that brain hypometabolism occurs prior to AD pathology. Therefore, targeting metabolic mechanisms in cortical piriform and insular regions at early stages may be a promising approach for preventing, slowing, and/or blocking the onset of AD and preserving neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Adlimoghaddam
- St. Boniface Hospital Research, Canada; Dept. of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Canada.
| | | | | | - Claudia Perez
- St. Boniface Hospital Research, Canada; Dept. of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Canada
| | - Jelena Djordjevic
- St. Boniface Hospital Research, Canada; Dept. of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Ji Hyun Ko
- Dept. of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba, Canada; Health Sciences Centre, Canada
| | - Benedict C Albensi
- St. Boniface Hospital Research, Canada; Dept. of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Canada.
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19
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Shen Z, Lei J, Li X, Wang Z, Bao X, Wang R. Multifaceted assessment of the APP/PS1 mouse model for Alzheimer's disease: Applying MRS, DTI, and ASL. Brain Res 2018; 1698:114-120. [PMID: 30077647 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Revised: 07/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Transgenic animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) can mimic pathological and behavioral changes occurring in AD patients, and are usually viewed as the first choice for testing novel therapeutics. Validated biomarkers, particularly non-invasive ones, are urgently needed for AD diagnosis or evaluation of treatment results. However, there are few studies that systematically characterize pathological changes in AD animal models. Here, we investigated the brain of 8-month-old amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1 (APP/PS1) transgenic and wild-type (WT) mice, employing 7.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and arterial spin labeling (ASL) were obtained through micro-MRI scanning. After MRI examination in both transgenic (n = 12) and WT (n = 12) mice, immunohistochemical staining and ultrastructural analysis were subsequently performed. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was significantly decreased in the left hippocampus, left thalamus, and right cortex of AD mice (P < 0.05). Moreover, MRS showed significantly changed NAA/Cr, Glu/Cr, and mI/Cr ratios in the hippocampus of transgenic mice. While only NAA/Cr and mI/Cr ratios varied significantly in the cortex of transgenic mice. Regarding DTI imaging, however, the values of FA, MD, DA and DR were not significantly different between transgenic and WT mice. Finally, it is worth noting that pathological damage of metabolism, CBF, and white matter was more distinct between transgenic and WT mice by pathological examination. Altogether, our results suggest that intravital imaging evaluation of 8-month-old APP/PS1 transgenic mice by MRS and ASL is an alternative tool for AD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Shen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jianfeng Lei
- Center for Medical Experiments and Testing, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xueyuan Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhanjing Wang
- Center for Medical Experiments and Testing, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinjie Bao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Renzhi Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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