Manganese-Enhanced MRI: Biological Applications in Neuroscience

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an excellent non-invasive tool to investigate biological systems. The administration of the paramagnetic divalent ion manganese (Mn(2+)) enhances MRI contrast in vivo. Due to similarities between Mn(2+) and calcium (Ca(2+)), the premise of manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) is that the former may enter neurons and other excitable cells through voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels. As such, MEMRI has been used to trace neuronal pathways, define morphological boundaries, and study connectivity in morphological and functional imaging studies. In this article, we provide a brief overview of MEMRI and discuss recently published data to illustrate the usefulness of this method, particularly in animal models.