Faculty Collaboration Database

Long-term vascular access ports as a means of sedative administration in a rodent fMRI survival model. J Neurosci Methods 2011 Sep 15;200(2):106-12

Date

07/06/2011

Pubmed ID

21726581

Pubmed Central ID

PMC3156352

DOI

10.1016/j.jneumeth.2011.06.018

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-80051587513 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   6 Citations

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop a rodent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) survival model with the use of heparin-coated vascular access devices. Such a model would ease the administration of sedative agents, reduce the number of animals required in survival experiments and eliminate animal-to-animal variability seen in previous designs. Seven male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent surgical placement of an MRI-compatible vascular access port, followed by implantable electrode placement on the right median nerve. Functional MRI during nerve stimulation and resting-state functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) were performed at times 0, 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively using a 9.4T scanner. Anesthesia was maintained using intravenous dexmedetomidine and reversed using atipamezole. There were no fatalities or infectious complications during this study. All vascular access ports remained patent. Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activation by electrical stimulation of the median nerve using implanted electrodes was seen within the forelimb sensory region (S1FL) for all animals at all time points. The number of activated voxels decreased at time points 4 and 8 weeks, returning to a normal level at 12 weeks, which is attributed to scar tissue formation and resolution around the embedded electrode. The applications of this experiment extend far beyond the scope of peripheral nerve experimentation. These vascular access ports can be applied to any survival MRI study requiring repeated medication administration, intravenous contrast, or blood sampling.

Author List

Hettinger PC, Li R, Yan JG, Matloub HS, Cho YR, Pawela CP, Rowe DB, Hyde JS

Authors

Hani S. Matloub MD Professor in the Plastic Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Christopher Pawela PhD Associate Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Brain
Catheters, Indwelling
Hypnotics and Sedatives
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Longitudinal Studies
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Oxygen
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Time Factors
Vascular Surgical Procedures