Magnetic resonance imaging of neuronal connections in the macaque monkey

Neuron. 2002 May 30;34(5):685-700. doi: 10.1016/s0896-6273(02)00718-3.

Abstract

Recently, an MRI-detectable, neuronal tract-tracing method in living animals was introduced that exploits the anterograde transport of manganese (Mn2+). We present the results of experiments simultaneously tracing manganese chloride and wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) to evaluate the specificity of the former by tracing the neuronal connections of the basal ganglia of the monkey. Mn2+ and WGA-HRP yielded remarkably similar and highly specific projection patterns. By showing the sequential transport of Mn2+ from striatum to pallidum-substantia nigra and then to thalamus, we demonstrated MRI visualization of transport across at least one synapse in the CNS of the primate. Transsynaptic tract tracing in living primates will allow chronic studies of development and plasticity and provide valuable anatomical information for fMRI and electrophysiological experiments in primates.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Axonal Transport / drug effects
  • Axonal Transport / physiology
  • Basal Ganglia / cytology*
  • Basal Ganglia / drug effects
  • Basal Ganglia / physiology
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology
  • Brain Mapping / instrumentation
  • Brain Mapping / methods*
  • Chlorides* / adverse effects
  • Globus Pallidus / cytology
  • Globus Pallidus / drug effects
  • Globus Pallidus / physiology
  • Macaca mulatta / anatomy & histology*
  • Macaca mulatta / physiology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Manganese Compounds* / adverse effects
  • Neostriatum / cytology
  • Neostriatum / drug effects
  • Neostriatum / physiology
  • Neural Pathways / cytology*
  • Neural Pathways / drug effects
  • Neural Pathways / physiology
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Neurotoxins / adverse effects
  • Prefrontal Cortex / cytology
  • Prefrontal Cortex / drug effects
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiology
  • Substantia Nigra / cytology
  • Substantia Nigra / physiology
  • Thalamus / cytology
  • Thalamus / drug effects
  • Thalamus / physiology
  • Time Factors
  • Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish Peroxidase Conjugate

Substances

  • Chlorides
  • Manganese Compounds
  • Neurotoxins
  • Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish Peroxidase Conjugate
  • manganese chloride