Hanbing Lu1, Julie Brynildsen1, Li-Ming Hsu1, Thomas Ross1, Elliot A Stein1, and Yihong Yang1
In fMRI using
animal models, it is of critical importance to develop a robust anesthetic
regime that maintains neurovascular coupling, permits longitudinal experiments
with minimal invasiveness, and is easy to implement. Recently, using an
anesthetic method that combines low doses of dexmedetomidine and low dose of isoflurane,
we have successfully identified the default mode network in rat brain, suggesting
that this preparation causes minimal suppression of brain network functions. The goal of this study is to systematically
characterize and to optimize physiological conditions for fMRI experiments
under this anesthetic regime.