Neuroscience 2004 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 240.14 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | Visualizing the entire song-control system in living canaries using inversion recovery based manganese enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. |
| Authors: |
Tindemans, I.*1
; Boumans, T.1
; Verhoye, M.1
; Van der Linden, A.1
1Bio-Imaging Lab, Univ Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
Techniques in Neuroscience - Staining, tracing and imaging techniques |
| Session: |
240. Imaging Techniques: fMRI, BOLD, and Other Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Sunday, October 24, 2004 9:00 AM-10:00 AM |
| Location: | San Diego Convention Center - Hall A-H, Board # GGG19 |
| Keywords: | AVIAN, BRAIN IMAGING, AXONAL TRANSPORT, IN VIVO |
Songbirds share with humans the capacity to produce learned vocalizations (song). The neural substrate for song learning and production, the song control system (SCS), is a bilateral circuit of distinct, strongly ipsilaterally interconnected brain regions which displays a remarkable neuroplasticity. After years of bird sacrifice to study the SCS, we recently (Van der Linden et al., 2002) visualized two major song control nuclei, nucleus robustus arcopalii (RA) and X repeatedly in a living songbird using Manganese Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MEMRI). It was our aim to extend this accomplishment and visualize the entire SCS in living songbirds taking advantage of the transsynaptic paramagnetic tract tracing capacities of manganese. To that end we stereotactically injected very small volumes (10 nl) of MnCl2 (minimizing possible neurotoxicity) into HVC of the right and into MAN (nucleus magnocellularis nidopalli anterioris) of the left hemisphere, and monitored the manganese tracing between ipsilaterally connected song control nuclei. Using a Spin Echo Inversion Recovery sequence improved the image contrast and enabled us to visualize the interconnected song control nuclei in both hemispheres of the telencephalon and in the brain stem. Also ventricles, several laminae (e.g. Lamina mesopallialis), fibre tracts (e.g. Commissura anterior) and specific brain regions (e.g. Arcopallium) could be visualized. The data demonstrate that we are currently able to visualize the entire SCS with a very high image resolution (80ยต) and contrast and this repeatedly in living small songbirds which undoubtedly offers new perspectives for avian brain research.
Supported by IWT-Vlaanderen
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2004 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. San Diego, CA: Society for Neuroscience, 2004. Online.
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