Wilson's Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Wilson's Disease, including details on treatment, causes, symptoms, medication.

Assessing transneuronal dysfunction utilizing manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI).

Serrano F, Deshazer M, Smith KD, Ananta JS, Wilson LJ, Pautler RG

Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

In this study we utilized manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) to evaluate the in vivo transneuronal efficiency of manganese ion (Mn(2+)) movement as a means to assess overall changes in neuronal function. We designated this extension the manganese transfer index (MTI) value. To evaluate the MTI value as an index of transneuronal physiology we examined both pharmacological agents and different mouse models of neuronal dysfunction. We found that treatment with isoflurane, which attenuates synaptic vesicle release, or memantine, which attenuates postsynaptic uptake of Ca(2+) as well as Mn(2+), resulted in a decrease in the MTI value. Furthermore, we evaluated if changes in the MTI value can be detected in three knockout mice with altered brain function accompanied either with or without neurodegeneration. Our data demonstrate that the MTI values either decreased or increased in response to different functional as well as anatomical changes. These results demonstrate the potential utility of the MTI value as an in vivo index for the detection of changes in neuronal function in animal models of human disease.

Published 10 July 2008 in Magn Reson Med, 60(1): 169-75.
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