Corticospinal Tract Tracing in the Marmoset with a Clinical Whole-Body 3T Scanner Using Manganese-Enhanced MRI

PLoS One. 2015 Sep 23;10(9):e0138308. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138308. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) has been described as a powerful tool to depict the architecture of neuronal circuits. In this study we investigated the potential use of in vivo MRI detection of manganese for tracing neuronal projections from the primary motor cortex (M1) in healthy marmosets (Callithrix Jacchus). We determined the optimal dose of manganese chloride (MnCl2) among 800, 400, 40 and 8 nmol that led to manganese-induced hyperintensity furthest from the injection site, as specific to the corticospinal tract as possible, and that would not induce motor deficit. A commonly available 3T human clinical MRI scanner and human knee coil were used to follow hyperintensity in the corticospinal tract 24h after injection. A statistical parametric map of seven marmosets injected with the chosen dose, 8 nmol, showed the corticospinal tract and M1 connectivity with the basal ganglia, substantia nigra and thalamus. Safety was determined for the lowest dose that did not induce dexterity and grip strength deficit, and no behavioral effects could be seen in marmosets who received multiple injections of manganese one month apart. In conclusion, our study shows for the first time in marmosets, a reliable and reproducible way to perform longitudinal ME-MRI experiments to observe the integrity of the marmoset corticospinal tract on a clinical 3T MRI scanner.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / physiology
  • Callithrix
  • Chlorides / administration & dosage
  • Chlorides / pharmacology
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / instrumentation
  • Male
  • Manganese / pharmacology*
  • Manganese Compounds / administration & dosage
  • Manganese Compounds / pharmacology
  • Neuroanatomical Tract-Tracing Techniques / methods*
  • Pyramidal Tracts / drug effects
  • Pyramidal Tracts / physiology*
  • Statistics as Topic

Substances

  • Chlorides
  • Manganese Compounds
  • Manganese
  • manganese chloride

Grants and funding

The investigations were supported by grants from Fondation Avenir n°ET3-713, Institut de France n°R13098BB and Institut des Sciences du Cerveau de Toulouse. BD was supported by a doctoral fellowship Midi-Pyrénées Région and COMUE n°RA12P0110. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.