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An Open-Source Restraint System for Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Awake Rats
Richard Quansah Amissah1, Mahmoud Khaled Hanafy1, Hakan Kayir1
1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada.
Eneuro
|February 26, 2026
Summary
We developed an animal-friendly platform for awake rat functional MRI (fMRI), enabling high-quality brain imaging without anesthesia. This method highlights anesthesia
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Anesthesia in preclinical rodent MRI alters neural activity, limiting translational relevance.
- Awake rodent functional MRI (fMRI) offers physiologically relevant insights but is hindered by anesthesia requirements during setup.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a restraint system and habituation protocol for awake rat fMRI.
- To enable high-quality, behaviorally enriched imaging without anesthesia.
Main Methods:
- A modular 3D-printed restraint system was developed, requiring <5 min assembly and no anesthesia, ear bars, or bite bars.
- A 11-day habituation protocol was implemented for awake rats.
- T2-weighted anatomical and functional scans were acquired, analyzed using the RABIES pipeline for head motion and functional connectivity.
Main Results:
- High-quality anatomical and functional images were obtained in awake rats.
- Anesthetized rats showed significantly reduced head motion (translation, rotation, framewise displacement).
- Functional connectivity patterns differed between awake and anesthetized rats, though not all differences were statistically significant after correction.
Conclusions:
- A scalable, reproducible, and animal-friendly platform for awake rat fMRI was successfully developed.
- This platform facilitates high-quality, behaviorally enriched imaging without anesthesia.
- The study underscores the significant impact of anesthesia on functional connectivity in rodent fMRI studies.
