Abstract #2317

Neuroimaging Measure as an Endophenotype for Genetic Effects on Electrical Stimulation in Brown Norway and Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rat Strains

Zhixin Li¹, B. Douglas Ward², Melinda R. Dwinell³, Christopher P. Pawela¹,²

¹Department of Plastic Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; ²Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; ³Human and Molecular Genetics Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States

The goal of study was to reveal the region-specific effects of genetic differences between two inbred rat strains, Brown Norway (BN) and Dahl salt-sensitive on a biologic measure in brain using BOLD-fMRI under a well-established task paradigm. The Differential BOLD response to electrical stimulation in two inbred rat stains were mainly detected in contralateral S1FL, S2, TH, and bilateral CPu regions. These results suggest a new approach to visualize the genetic effects on the brain using neuroimaging measures.