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Abstract #1227

Concurrent Pharmacological MRI and Electrophysiology to Investigate Neuropharmacological Modulation of Brain Function in the Rat

Christopher James Martin1, Nicola R. Sibson1

1Radiation Oncology and Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom


The aim of this work was to combine pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging with electrophysiological recording of neuronal activity such that we might improve our understanding of: (1) the neural basis of neuroimaging signals; (2) the effects of neuropharmacological manipulations on neurovascular coupling and neuroimaging signals; and (3) neuroanatomical differences in the relationship between neuronal activity and neuroimaging signals. We report data from studies in which we use the serotonin (5-HT) releasing agent fenfluramine to increase endogenous 5HT levels and investigate the effects of this modulation on both baseline and stimulus-evoked fMRI signals and neuronal activity.