MR biomarkers for cognitive training in mild traumatic brain injury in rats

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a fall or car accident can lead to cognitive impairment which limits patients in everyday life. To better understand the underlying pathophysiology, TBI is induced in rats, and the brain is imaged with diffusion MRI, a technique capable of imaging the neural network. In a follow up study the rats will receive cognitive training, similar to training protocols in human patients in order to image the neuroplasticity of the brain. By fitting the diffusion signal to white matter models the neural network can be revealed, and the defects and recovery can be followed up in time. A complementary histological analysis will correlate the biomarkers found in the MRI experiments to the biological basis.

 

Figure 1: Cognitive training in the Bussey Saksida touchscreen chamber
Figure 1: Cognitive training in the Bussey Saksida touchscreen chamber

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