Kunal Paralikar1, Thomas Neuberger2, Joy Matsui1, Alistair Barber3, Ryan Clement1, Andrew Webb1,4
1Bioengineering, Penn State University, University Park, PA, USA; 2Huck Institute, Penn State University, USA; 3Opthalmology, Penn State University; 4Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
The purpose of this paper was to investigate: (1) the feasibility of carrying out longitudinal MRI studies in animals with implanted micro-wire electrodes adapted for MRI compatibility, (2) the effect of MRI studies on the quality of neurophysiological recordings, and (3) the use of MRI to study the extent and recovery of tissue damage due to electrode insertion. There was no evidence of short-term or chronic neural damage caused by repeated MRI, nor any statistical difference in the quality of the electrophysiological recordings between animals that had undergone MRI scans and those that had not.