New MRI sensor can image activity deep within the brain

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190222084247.htm

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a technique used to form images of the organs and tissues in the body. Using this technique MIT researchers can detect calcium activity and look deeper into the brain. Scientists watch calcium activity by labeling calcium with fluorescent molecules. Watching calcium in brain cells can reveal how neurons communicate with each other. However, this type of microscopy imaging can only penetrate a few tenths of a millimeter into the tissue causing scientists to turn to MRI. Using MRI scientists can link neural activity with specific behaviors. Last year, scientists developed an MRI sensor that can measure extracellular calcium concentrations. This sensor can detect when neurons or glia become stimulated. They tested their sensor in rats by injecting it into the striatum. Then they used potassium ions to trigger electrical activity in neurons of the striatum. The MRI can offer more precise information about the location and timing of neuron activity than the traditional fMRI.

I thought this article was really informative on the MRI and imaging calcium in brain cells. It concisely goes over the processes of the MRI sensor and I think that someone who gets MRI's could benefit from this article. I thought it was interesting that scientists used rats to test their sensor and that they were able to measure the calcium response in their neurons. MRI's are usually used for research. One of the benefits of MRI scanners is saving time. They work in 30 minutes instead of 60 to 90 minutes. We can expect to see further improvements in this type of technology in the next ten years. However, MRI's have not been welcomed within the past five years. All in all, the MRI sensor is an innovative way to view brain activity and I think that scientists will benefit from using this method.

Comments

  1. Jenna HathaziMarch 28, 2019 at 9:06 AM

    That's interesting that they used Potassium and not sodium to trigger neuron activity. From what we learned in class, the amount of sodium causing the neuron to reach -60 is what triggers action potential. Potassium acts as the positive and balances out/stabilizes the neuron before/after firing. It's necessary for the action potential, but ultimately the increased sodium is what causes the action potential. Calcium in the brain is also something I never realized played a big role in neuron communication, that's really interesting!

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  2. Amanda LedbetterMarch 31, 2019 at 8:59 PM

    This is super cool! MRIs have always been fascinating to me, because they seems so complex and still like science fiction. Not to mention fMRIs that can record movement as well, but to be able to record the movement of neural activity is incredible. I am also interested in why they chose calcium, because I feel like there are other ions that are more integral to neuron communication, but perhaps they are harder to get the fluorescent dyes to stick to, so to speak.

    I wonder too if this means that these MRIs could provide more detailed studies of other areas of the body where calcium channels are a huge part of the physiology, like in the heart. Perhaps it could provide information about specific cardiac electrical abnormalities.

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  3. AnonymousApril 15, 2019 at 9:35 AM

    I think a lot scientists use rats as a part of their study to find results because it is easier and more cautious than to get humans to participate. Rats were also used in the article I talked about when scientists studied infrared vision and the possibility of long-term night vision in rats. I did not know that calcium played a role in neural communication before reading this although we did learn about action potential in class and its contribution to sending signals and neurotransmitters through the synapse. With MRI's it would make it easier for patients coming in with an issue to get fast result It would also give doctors the answers and or ability to turn to a different solution if they see a problem in the scans. MRIs not only detect calcium activity but detect any brain tumor, dementia, trauma to the brain, and other issues that should be detected by doctors as soon as possible. I think as technology becomes more detailed, MRI would play a more predominant role in detecting and preventing the severity of many health issues. Really interesting.

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  4. Trevor McKayApril 16, 2019 at 1:35 AM

    I found this post to be quite fascinating. The MRI can also be helpful in research on Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis, as defined in our class, is the depletion of myelin surrounding axons. This would cause a slow in conduction and in severe cases, conduction may stop entirely. The MRI is able to detect when signaling or conduction in a neuron is slowed down or not active. Research shows that the more weight a MRI has, the more detail it can detect. Most portable MRIs are in the range of 30,000 to 70,000 pounds which is notated as 3T-7T models. Upon doing some research, I came across this article: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07182-7 In this article, researchers are preparing two 11.7T MRIs for the highest quality imaging as well as the fastest processing of imaging. One of those two 11.7T MRIs will be coming to Bethesda, Maryland. Those MRIs will be able to help identify which regions of the brain MS is affecting as well as which regions are more heavily affected.

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  5. Katie LarkinApril 17, 2019 at 1:39 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  6. Katie LarkinApril 17, 2019 at 1:59 PM

    Hi Veronica,

    I found your article quite interesting! And piggy-backing off of Amanda's comment I think the MRI you described has a unique capability to be able to measure other areas of calcium concentration in the body the hear especially. Calcium buildups in the heart are easy to miss but can be deadly if not found and treated in time. https://www.cardiosmart.org/News-and-Events/2017/08/Heath-Effects-of-Calcium-Buildup-in-Arteries-is-More-Complex-than-Previously-Thought . This article showcases the dangerous health effects of calcium buildup. While there already is a coronary calcium scan, an MRI version of this may be able to provide us with more detail.

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