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Abstract #0311

Dynamics of Mn Transport in the Mesolimbic System Reveal Neural Projections from the Nucleus Accumbens in Vivo

Jessica A. M. Bastiaansen1,2, Xiaowei Zhang1, Davit Janvelyan1, Scott E. Fraser1, Russell E. Jacobs1

1Biological Imaging Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States; 2CIBM, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland


The Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) plays a fundamental role in the neural reward circuit. Herein, we investigated the feasibility of MEMRI to map neural circuitry, activation and anatomy in the rodent reward system in vivo. Using MEMRI and SPM, we monitored Mn dynamics along the afferent and efferent projections from the NAc after a stereotaxic injection of MnCl. Spatiotemporal connectivity in the mesolimbic system was visualized in vivo, providing a paradigm for future studies on the neurophysiological basis of addiction using MEMRI.

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