White Matter Quantification in a Model of Schizophrenia Mice using Microscopic Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Franck Mauconduit¹, Jean Christophe Deloulme¹, Annie Andrieux¹, Hana Lahrech¹

STOP knockout (KO) mice have been proposed as a model of some schizophrenia-like symptoms. KO mice exhibit brain anatomical abnormalities such as whole-brain volume reduction and white matter (WM) disorder. The purpose of the study was to determine the WM alteration using Diffusion Tensor Imaging in the commissure of fornix which links hippocampus to mammillary bodies. As well as a total brain diminution, KO stop mice exhibit a global white matter reduction. FA values in the post-commissural fornix might confirm a net loss of fibres for KO mice whereas no changes are obtained in the dorsal fornix.