Abstract
Neurotoxin-based rodent models of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are widely used for pre-clinical evaluation of novel therapeutics for PD and have provided insights into mechanisms underlying motor dysfunction and nigrostriatal degeneration in PD. Predominantly, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in such models have focused on alterations in T2 water 1H relaxation or 1H MR spectroscopy (MRS), whilst potential morphological changes and their relationship to histological or behavioural outcomes have not been fully investigated. Identification of MR signal changes that are significantly related to behavioural and histological outcomes in pre-clinical PD models may identify useful non-invasive surrogate markers of nigrostriatal degeneration in vivo. Development of such in vivo imaging-based biomarkers may provide a simple, efficient and comprehensive means to study lesion progression and therapeutic interventions in rodent models of PD, which may also have translational value.
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Acknowledgements
Our studies are supported by a grant from the Edmond J. Safra philanthropic foundation, which we thank for their generous financial assistance. We also thank the British Heart Foundation for supporting the 7 T MRI scanner (Preclinical Imaging Unit, Kings College, London). ACV is supported by an Edmond J Safra fellowship. MM is supported by an RCUK fellowship.
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Vernon, A.C., Modo, M. (2011). Non-invasive MR Imaging of Neurodegeneration in a Rodent Model of Parkinson’s Disease. In: Modo, M., Bulte, J. (eds) Magnetic Resonance Neuroimaging. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 711. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61737-992-5_25
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61737-992-5_25
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