Abstract

Introduction

Materials & Methods

Results

Discussion & Conclusion

References

Discussion
Board

T2 shortening is not specific to iron deposition. Other processes can affect this measure and tissue characteristics (as in the white matter) can shorten T2 (Bartzokis et al., 1993). Nevertheless, these effects would be proportionately less important with a 11.7 Tesla system because iron-dependent contrast is enhanced with increasing field strength while the other T2 effects are not changed. Microscopic magnetic resonance imaging of the mouse lemur therefore appears to be an ideal model system for studying in vivo iron changes in the basal forebrain and the ventral globus pallidus in relation to aging and neurodegeneration.

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. George Bartzokis, West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, and Dr. Marc Dhenain, California Institute of Technology, for helpful suggestions, Dr. Kenneth Glander, Duke Primate Center, for providing the mouse lemur brains, and Dr. Pratik Ghosh for his help during the initial phases of this work. Supported by the von Humboldt and the Del Webb Foundations (EG). Additional funding was provided by the Human Brain Project with contributions from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Science Foundation. We also thank Dr. Greg Doran, University of the Witwatersrand, for his invaluable help.

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