Iris Yuwen Zhou1,2,
Abby Y. Ding1,2, Qi Li3,4, Frank Yik Hin Lee1,2,
Shujuan J. Fan1,2, Kevin Chuen Wing Chan1,2, Grainne M.
McAlonan3,4, Ed Xuekui Wu1,2
1Laboratory of
Biomedical Imaging & Signal Processing, the University of Hong Kong, Hong
Kong SAR, China, People's Republic of; 2Department of Electrical
& Electronic Engineering, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR,
China, People's Republic of; 3Department of Psychiatry, the
University of Hong Kong; 4Centre for Reproduction Growth &
Development, the University of Hong Kong
Fear conditioning is a widely used procedure to study the neural basis of learning and memory. To study the neurocircuits behind this paradigm, in vivo MEMRI was employed to investigate the neural response after subjection to fear-conditioning in mice. Compared to controls, fear-conditioned animals exhibited higher Mn-uptake in amygdala, hippocampus, paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus and cingulate cortex, which are all highly-involved in the process of fear. The results provide insights to neurocircuits involved in fear-conditioning and consolidate the capability of MEMRI as an in vivo probe for mapping neural activity.