Early detection of neurodegeneration in brain ischemia by manganese-enhanced MRI

This study aims to employ in vivo manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) to detect neurodegenerative changes in two models of brain ischemia, photothrombotic cortical injury (PCI) and transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rodents. After systemic Mn²⁺ injection to both ischemic models, a close pattern of T1-weighted hyperintensity was observed throughout different brain regions in comparison to the distribution of GFAP, MnSOD and GS immunoreactivities, whereby conventional MRI could hardly detect such. In addition, the infarct volumes in the posterior parts of the brain had significantly reduced after Mn²⁺ injection to the MCAO model. It is suggested that exogenous Mn²⁺ injection may provide enhanced MEMRI detection of oxidative stress and gliosis early after brain ischemia. Manganese may also mediate infarctions at remote brain regions in transient focal cerebral ischemia before delayed secondary damage takes place.