Jessica A. M. Bastiaansen1,2, Xiaowei Zhang1,
Davit Janvelyan1, Scott E. Fraser1, Russell E. Jacobs1
1Biological Imaging Center, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States; 2CIBM, EPFL,
Lausanne, Switzerland
The
Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) plays a fundamental role in the neural reward
circuit. Herein, we investigated the feasibility of MEMRI to map neural
circuitry, activation and anatomy in the rodent reward system in vivo. Using
MEMRI and SPM, we monitored Mn dynamics along the afferent and efferent
projections from the NAc after a stereotaxic injection of MnCl.
Spatiotemporal connectivity in the mesolimbic system was visualized in vivo,
providing a paradigm for future studies on the neurophysiological basis of
addiction using MEMRI.