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Updated: Sep 19, 2025
Acquisition of Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data in the Rat
Published on: August 28, 2021
Functional MRI Analysis of Brain Activity in Rats With Diabetic Bladder Dysfunction
Mingzhuo Li1, Xun Chen1, JingJing Ye2
1Department of Urology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Aims:
This study aimed to investigate brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in rats with 12-week diabetic bladder dysfunction (DBD). Furthermore, as prior research has suggested that NLX-112, a 5-HT1A receptor agonist, may alleviate DBD, we sought to explore its effects on brain activity in DBD rats.
Methods:
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with urethane and underwent cystometry alongside 9.4-Tesla fMRI evaluations. Resting-state fMRI was performed on empty bladders to compare baseline brain activity between groups. Gradient echo-planar imaging was utilized to assess brain activation during micturition relative to relaxation, and a group analysis was conducted.
Results:
fMRI data from 12 diabetes mellitus (DM) rats and 12 normal control (NC) rats were analyzed. DM rats exhibited a significant reduction in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) in the basal forebrain and cerebral cortex, a measurement of activity in brain networks. During micturition, DM rats showed increased activation in the thalamus, primary motor cortex, periaqueductal gray (PAG) and other regions. NLX-112 administration did not significantly alter brain activity in DM rats.
Conclusion:
DBD rats exhibit heightened thalamic and PAG activity during micturition, potentially due to enlarged bladder capacity, with cortical activity serving as a compensatory mechanism. These findings highlight potential neural targets for DBD treatment.
