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Abstract #2020

Diffusion Spectrum Tractography and Histology: Developing Connectivity in the Cat Brain

Emi Takahashi1, Guangping Dai2, Ruopeng Wang2, Kenichi Ohki3, Glenn D. Rosen4, Albert M. Galaburda4, Rebecca D. Folkerth5, Van J. Wedeen2, P. Ellen Grant1,6

1Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; 2Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; 3Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; 4Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School; 5Department of Pathology, Childrens Hospital Boston; 6Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Boston


The transient subplate (SP), located just below the immature cortex, is crucial for the formation of neuronal circuits, but it has been challenging to image abundant crossings running through the SP. Using high-resolution diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) tractography, we successfully imaged 3-dimensional cortical/subcortical pathways in P0 (newborn), P35 (pediatric), and P100 (adult) cats and compared the findings to histology. In some regions, perpendicular to the projecting pathways, emergence of long association fibers was also imaged. These results show the potential of DSI in fixed pathological specimens at any stage of myelination to provide information on developing organization and connectivity.

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