Stephen J. Sawiak1, Nigel I. Wood2, G B. Williams1, A J. Morton3, T A. Carpenter1
1Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, University
of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; 2Department of Pharmacology, University
of Cambridge; 3Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge,
UK
6-OHDA (6-Hydroxydopamine) lesions are commonly used to selectively target dopaminergic neurons in the brain. This pilot study examines how MRI can be used to assess the morphological changes following lesioning, by focusing in particular on asymmetry. Images were registered to a symmetric target and SPM was used with paired t-test on the Jacobian determinants (local volume changes) between flipped and unflipped images to find lateral effects. The method detected both the lesion and asymmetric morphology in the striatum, showing it will be useful in a larger, longitudinal in vivo study.