Cranioplastic Surgery and Acclimation Training for Awake Mouse fMRI

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is crucial for linking animal models to human neuropsychiatric disorders.
• Anesthetics used in mouse fMRI hinder direct comparison with conscious human fMRI due to suppressed physiological noise and motion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and describe a novel system for acquiring fMRI data in awake mice.
• To enable direct comparison of brain activity between conscious animal models and human patients for translational research.

Main Methods:

• Developed a specialized awake mouse fMRI system with a head positioner and dedicated radio frequency coil.
• Utilized cranioplastic surgery for head mount fixation and a cupped-hand handling method to minimize stress during scanning.
• Established an acclimation protocol for mice undergoing MRI scans.

Main Results:

• Successfully acquired fMRI data from awake mice using the new system.
• Investigated functional brain networks in conscious mice, demonstrating the system's capability.
• The developed system facilitates bridging fMRI studies between animal models and human subjects.

Conclusions:

• The novel awake mouse fMRI system overcomes limitations of anesthetic use in translational research.
• This technology is vital for advancing comparative neuroscience and understanding brain function in health and disease.
• Enables more accurate preclinical research for human neuropsychiatric disorders.