Elucidating the complex organization of neural micro-domains in the locust Schistocerca gregaria using dMRI
Abstract To understand brain function it is necessary to characterize both the underlying structural connectivity between neurons and the physiological integrity of these connections. Previous research exploring insect brain connectivity has typically used electron microscopy techniques, but this me...
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2021-02-01
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doaj-f6e8143be3b34d50b8587a0bb76dbfb12021-02-14T12:33:11ZengNature Publishing GroupScientific Reports2045-23222021-02-0111111210.1038/s41598-021-82187-3Elucidating the complex organization of neural micro-domains in the locust Schistocerca gregaria using dMRISyed Salman Shahid0Christian M. Kerskens1Malcolm Burrows2Alice G. Witney3Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of MedicineTrinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Trinity College DublinDepartment of Zoology, University of CambridgeDepartment of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College DublinAbstract To understand brain function it is necessary to characterize both the underlying structural connectivity between neurons and the physiological integrity of these connections. Previous research exploring insect brain connectivity has typically used electron microscopy techniques, but this methodology cannot be applied to living animals and so cannot be used to understand dynamic physiological processes. The relatively large brain of the desert locust, Schistercera gregaria (Forksȧl) is ideal for exploring a novel methodology; micro diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (micro-dMRI) for the characterization of neuronal connectivity in an insect brain. The diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) data were acquired on a preclinical system using a customised multi-shell diffusion MRI scheme optimized to image the locust brain. Endogenous imaging contrasts from the averaged DWIs and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) scheme were applied to classify various anatomical features and diffusion patterns in neuropils, respectively. The application of micro-dMRI modelling to the locust brain provides a novel means of identifying anatomical regions and inferring connectivity of large tracts in an insect brain. Furthermore, quantitative imaging indices derived from the kurtosis model that include fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and kurtosis anisotropy (KA) can be extracted. These metrics could, in future, be used to quantify longitudinal structural changes in the nervous system of the locust brain that occur due to environmental stressors or ageing.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82187-3 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Syed Salman Shahid Christian M. Kerskens Malcolm Burrows Alice G. Witney |
spellingShingle |
Syed Salman Shahid Christian M. Kerskens Malcolm Burrows Alice G. Witney Elucidating the complex organization of neural micro-domains in the locust Schistocerca gregaria using dMRI Scientific Reports |
author_facet |
Syed Salman Shahid Christian M. Kerskens Malcolm Burrows Alice G. Witney |
author_sort |
Syed Salman Shahid |
title |
Elucidating the complex organization of neural micro-domains in the locust Schistocerca gregaria using dMRI |
title_short |
Elucidating the complex organization of neural micro-domains in the locust Schistocerca gregaria using dMRI |
title_full |
Elucidating the complex organization of neural micro-domains in the locust Schistocerca gregaria using dMRI |
title_fullStr |
Elucidating the complex organization of neural micro-domains in the locust Schistocerca gregaria using dMRI |
title_full_unstemmed |
Elucidating the complex organization of neural micro-domains in the locust Schistocerca gregaria using dMRI |
title_sort |
elucidating the complex organization of neural micro-domains in the locust schistocerca gregaria using dmri |
publisher |
Nature Publishing Group |
series |
Scientific Reports |
issn |
2045-2322 |
publishDate |
2021-02-01 |
description |
Abstract To understand brain function it is necessary to characterize both the underlying structural connectivity between neurons and the physiological integrity of these connections. Previous research exploring insect brain connectivity has typically used electron microscopy techniques, but this methodology cannot be applied to living animals and so cannot be used to understand dynamic physiological processes. The relatively large brain of the desert locust, Schistercera gregaria (Forksȧl) is ideal for exploring a novel methodology; micro diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (micro-dMRI) for the characterization of neuronal connectivity in an insect brain. The diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) data were acquired on a preclinical system using a customised multi-shell diffusion MRI scheme optimized to image the locust brain. Endogenous imaging contrasts from the averaged DWIs and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) scheme were applied to classify various anatomical features and diffusion patterns in neuropils, respectively. The application of micro-dMRI modelling to the locust brain provides a novel means of identifying anatomical regions and inferring connectivity of large tracts in an insect brain. Furthermore, quantitative imaging indices derived from the kurtosis model that include fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and kurtosis anisotropy (KA) can be extracted. These metrics could, in future, be used to quantify longitudinal structural changes in the nervous system of the locust brain that occur due to environmental stressors or ageing. |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82187-3 |
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