An ontology-based segmentation scheme for tracking postnatal changes in the developing rodent brain with MRI.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Biomedical Imaging

Background:

• Postnatal neurodevelopment is crucial for brain function and implicated in disorders like autism and schizophrenia.
• Rodent models are vital for studying human brain development.
• Magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) shows promise for neurodevelopment research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the utility of a developmental neuro-ontology for tracking regional changes in MR biomarkers during postnatal neurodevelopment.
• To provide a foundation for future MR-based studies of neurodevelopment.

Main Methods:

• Developed a developmental neuro-ontology for postnatal neurodevelopment.
• Used the ontology as a segmentation guide for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data.
• Tracked regional brain volume changes in rats from postnatal day 0 to 80.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated differential growth rates in axial versus paraxial brain regions.
• Successfully tracked regional changes in brain volume using the neuro-ontology.
• Provided ontology and label volumes for future research.

Conclusions:

• The developmental neuro-ontology is a valuable tool for analyzing MR biomarkers in postnatal neurodevelopment.
• This approach can advance the study of normal and disordered brain development in rodent models.
• Facilitates future MR-based research into neurodevelopmental conditions.