Can we detect the effect of spines and leaflets on the diffusion of brain intracellular metabolites?

NeuroImage
Marco PalomboJulien Valette

Abstract

Prior models used to clarify which aspects of tissue microstructure mostly affect intracellular diffusion and corresponding diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (DW-MR) signal have focused on relatively simple geometrical descriptions of the cellular microenvironment (spheres, randomly oriented cylinders, etc…), neglecting finer morphological details which may have an important role. Some types of neurons present high density of spines; and astrocytes and macroglial cells processes present leaflets, which may all impact the diffusion process. Here, we use Monte-Carlo simulations of many particles diffusing in cylindrical compartments with secondary structures mimicking spines and leaflets of neuronal and glial cell fibers, to investigate to what extent the diffusion-weighted signal of intracellular molecules is sensitive to spines/leaflets density and length. In order to study the specificity of DW-MR signal to these kinds of secondary structures, beading-like geometry is simulated as "control" deviation from smooth cylinder too. Results suggest that: a) the estimated intracellular tortuosity increases as spines/leaflets density or length (beading amplitude) increase; b) the tortuosity limit is reached for diffusion time td>20...Continue Reading

Citations

Dec 24, 2019·NMR in Biomedicine·Jan BrabecMarkus Nilsson
Nov 7, 2019·Magnetic Resonance in Medicine : Official Journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine·David RomascanoAlessandro Daducci
Nov 5, 2020·Journal of Neuroscience Methods·Rafael N HenriquesAndrada Ianuş
Oct 24, 2020·Journal of Neuroscience Methods·Dmitry S Novikov
Jul 22, 2020·Journal of Neuroscience Methods·Ileana O JelescuKurt G Schilling
Aug 20, 2020·Journal of Neuroscience Methods·Kouhei KamiyaShigeki Aoki

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