Abstract #1481

Fang F, Ma Y, Kong S, He M, Lei H

MRI and in vivo 1H MRS were used to investigate in rats the morphological and metabolic changes of the brain induced by unilateral stereotaxic injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the substantia nigra (SN), a commonly used procedure known to cause Parkinsonism. Compared to their contralateral counterparts, the ipsilateral SN showed significantly lower T2 and T2*, likely due to iron deposition in this region, and the ipsilateral striatum showed significantly decreased NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho ratios, presumably as a result of 6-OHDA induced dopaminergic neuron loss in the SN and its effects on striatal dopaminergic neurons via nigrostriatal pathway.