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Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging
Published on: November 8, 2012
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Structural and Functional Brain Remodeling during Pregnancy with Diffusion Tensor MRI and Resting-State Functional
Russell W Chan1,2, Leon C Ho1,2, Iris Y Zhou1,2
1Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Signal Processing, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Plos One
|December 15, 2015
Summary
Pregnancy significantly alters brain tissue structure and function, particularly in the hippocampus. These changes involve increased diffusivity and altered functional connectivity, indicating significant brain remodeling during gestation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Radiology
- Physiology
Background:
- Hormonal shifts during pregnancy impact neuronal function.
- Tissue-level brain changes during pregnancy are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate pregnancy effects on brain tissue structure and function.
- To utilize diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) for this investigation.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 15 pregnant rats (Sprague-Dawley) at baseline and G17 (early third trimester equivalent).
- Comparison with 7 age-matched nulliparous control rats.
- DTI and rsfMRI were used to assess brain tissue properties.
Main Results:
- Increased whole-brain diffusivity observed during pregnancy, suggesting microscopic structural changes.
- Pronounced diffusivity increase in the dorsal hippocampus and increased fractional anisotropy in the dorsal dentate gyrus.
- Enhanced bilateral hippocampal functional connectivity during pregnancy, correlating with dentate gyrus fractional anisotropy.
Conclusions:
- Pregnancy induces significant tissue-level structural modifications throughout the brain.
- The hippocampus undergoes marked structural and functional remodeling during pregnancy.
- DTI and rsfMRI reveal key insights into pregnancy-associated brain plasticity.
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