Mapping postnatal mouse brain development with diffusion tensor microimaging

Neuroimage. 2005 Jul 15;26(4):1042-51. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.03.009. Epub 2005 Apr 21.

Abstract

While mouse brain development has been extensively studied using histology, quantitative characterization of morphological changes is still a challenging task. This paper presents how developing brain structures can be quantitatively characterized with magnetic resonance diffusion tensor microimaging coupled with techniques of computational anatomy. High resolution diffusion tensor images of ex vivo postnatal mouse brains provide excellent contrasts to reveal the evolutions of mouse forebrain structures. Using anatomical landmarks defined on diffusion tensor images, tissue level growth patterns of mouse brains were quantified. The results demonstrate the use of these techniques to three-dimensionally and quantitatively characterize brain growth.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn / physiology*
  • Brain / growth & development
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Brain Mapping / methods*
  • Corpus Callosum / anatomy & histology
  • Corpus Callosum / growth & development
  • Corpus Callosum / physiology
  • Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Hippocampus / anatomy & histology
  • Hippocampus / growth & development
  • Hippocampus / physiology
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neocortex / anatomy & histology
  • Neocortex / growth & development
  • Neocortex / physiology