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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
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Multiple-mouse Neuroanatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: February 27, 2011
Mapping infant brain myelination with magnetic resonance imaging
Sean C L Deoni1, Evelyne Mercure, Anna Blasi
1Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, London SE5 8AF, UK. sdeoni@mac.com
Summary
This study presents the first quantitative in vivo visualization of brain myelination in infants using a novel MRI technique. It reveals a detailed spatiotemporal pattern of myelin development from 3 to 11 months of age.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Myelination is crucial for brain function and cognitive development.
- Current neuroimaging techniques lack quantitative specificity for myelin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively visualize and map in vivo myelination in healthy human infants.
- To establish a spatiotemporal pattern of early brain myelin development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a novel myelin-specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique.
- Studied healthy infants aged 3 to 11 months.
Main Results:
- Detailed the first in vivo spatiotemporal map of human infant myelination.
- Identified a specific sequence of myelination across brain regions.
- Observed preliminary evidence of hemispheric differences in myelination rates.
Conclusions:
- The new MRI technique enables unprecedented visualization of myelin maturation.
- Provides a foundational understanding of early brain development and myelination patterns.
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