Abstract #3121

Mapping astroglial glutamine synthetase activity in vivo in a preclinical model of epilepsy using glutamate-weighted CEST (GluCEST) MRI

Puneet Bagga¹, Stephen Pickup¹, Julien Flament², John Detre³, Hari Hariharan¹, and Ravinder Reddy¹

¹Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States, ²Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Paris, France, ³Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Epilepsy is broadly characterized by aberrant neuronal excitability causing seizures. Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and can be detected using MRS and glutamate weighted chemical exchange saturation transfer (GluCEST) MRI. In this study, we performed high-resolution GluCEST MRI in a preclinical model of epilepsy to evaluate glutamatergic alterations in the hippocampus. GluCEST contrast was increased in the hippocampus of mice treated with methionine sulfoximine acutely, while mice treated chronically with MSO showed reduced hippocampal GluCEST contrast. The GluCEST results were also corroborated with in vivo ¹H MRS.

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