Abstract #0806

Pardue M, Thule P, Liu Y, Duong T, Olson D, Cheng H

High-resolution MRI and BOLD-fMRI were used to compare laminar dimensions and vascular responsiveness in retina of diabetic (DM) and non-diabetic control (Con) rats. The widths of inner and middle retinal layers were similar in DM and Con. By contrast, outer layer width of DM retinas was significantly greater than Con, suggesting vascular complication. The numbers of activated pixels associated with hyperoxia- and hypercapnia-induced BOLD fMRI in different layers were reduced relative to Con, suggesting damages to neurovascular coupling integrity. MRI could provide powerful insights into how diabetic retinopathy affects the vasculatures in the retina and the neural tissues they subserve.