Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2023, Vol. 18 ›› Issue (1): 176-182.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.344839

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Diffusion tensor imaging reveals brain structure changes in dogs after spinal cord injury

Chang-Bin Liu1, De-Gang Yang2, Jun Li2, Chuan Qin2, 3, Xin Zhang2, 3, Jun Liu2, 3, Da-Peng Li4, *, Jian-Jun Li2, 3, *   

  1. 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; 2Department of Spinal and Neural Function Reconstruction, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China; 3China Rehabilitation Science Institute, Beijing, China; 4Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
  • Online:2023-01-15 Published:2022-06-17
  • Contact: Jian-Jun Li, master, 13718331416@163.com; Da-Peng Li, PhD, 15901518431@163.com.
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82102676 (to CBL), a grant from Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, No. Z171100001017076 (to JJL), National Key Research and Development Program, No. 2018YFF0301104 (to JJL) and Research on Medical Protection Technology and Application of Induced Neural Stem Cells in the Treatment of Military Spinal Cord Injury, No. Z181100004118004 (to JL).

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Abstract: Based on the Wallerian degeneration in the spinal cord pathways, the changes in synaptic connections, and the spinal cord-related cellular responses that alter the cellular structure of the brain, we presumed that brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters may change after spinal cord injury. However, the dynamic changes in DTI parameters remain unclear. We established a Beagle dog model of T10 spinal cord contusion and performed DTI of the injured spinal cord. We found dynamic changes in DTI parameters in the cerebral peduncle, posterior limb of the internal capsule, pre- and postcentral gyri of the brain within 12 weeks after spinal cord injury. We then performed immunohistochemistry to detect the expression of neurofilament heavy polypeptide (axonal marker), glial fibrillary acidic protein (glial cell marker), and NeuN (neuronal marker). We found that these pathological changes were consistent with DTI parameter changes. These findings suggest that DTI can display brain structure changes after spinal cord injury.

Key words: spinal cord injury, diffusion tensor imaging, canines, pathophysiology, cerebrospinal structures, corticospinal tract, magnetic resonance imaging, anisotropic fraction, apparent dispersion coefficient