Non-invasive MR imaging of neurodegeneration in a rodent model of Parkinson's disease.

Neurotoxin-based rodent models of Parkinson's disease (PD) are widely used for pre-clinical evaluation of novel therapeutics for PD and have provided insights into mechanisms underlying motor dysfunction and nigrostriatal degeneration in PD. Predominantly, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in such models have focused on alterations in T(2) water (1)H relaxation or (1)H MR spectroscopy (MRS), whilst potential morphological changes and their relationship to histological or behavioural outcomes have not been fully investigated. Identification of MR signal changes that are significantly related to behavioural and histological outcomes in pre-clinical PD models may identify useful non-invasive surrogate markers of nigrostriatal degeneration in vivo. Development of such in vivo imaging-based biomarkers may provide a simple, efficient and comprehensive means to study lesion progression and therapeutic interventions in rodent models of PD, which may also have translational value.