Michael D. Boska1, Mariano G. Uberti1, Prasanta Dash2, Santhi Gorantla2, Larisa Y. Poleuktova2, Howard E. Gendelman2
1Radiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States; 2Pharmacology and Experimental Neurosciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
A humanized mouse model of HIV infection which replicates immune, virologic and neuropathologic features of human HIV infection was used to evaluate nervous system dysfunctions by diffusion tensor imaging. Analyses of the cortical region of the whisker barrels versus time over 16 weeks reveal mean absolute values of FA and λl remained relatively unchanged, λt increased, and FA decreased, a time course which was similar to unmanipulated controls. However, more careful analysis of the time course by time linear regression of individual results compared to virus levels reveal that higher viral loads, associated with brain pathology, reduced diffusivity and increased anisotropy.