In-Vivo Mouse Brain Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DT-MRI) Detects Gender and Region Specific Pathology Induced by Cuprizone

Laura-Adela Harsan¹, Yi Sun¹, Nicoleta Baxan¹, Jrgen Hennig¹, Dominik von Elverfeldt¹

Long-term cuprizone treatment in female and male mice, underlined the course of the disease from acute demyelinating to the chronic state. In-vivo DT-MRI, performed using 45 gradient diffusion directions sensitively assessed the myelin and axonal damage in relationship with the modifications of radial and axial diffusivity. When compared with females, the progressing pathology in the male brains had a stronger impact on the values of DT-MRI derived indices (D_radial , D_axial), suggesting a faster and more severe course of the disease. The existence of a sexual dimorphism in demyelination implies a gender-specific response to different strategies developed to induce recovery.