Abstract #1262

Manganese-Enhanced MRI (MEMRI) for Investigating a Genetic Rat Epilepsy Model

Lydia Wachsmuth¹, Thomas Seidenbecher², Thomas Budde², Cornelius Faber¹

¹Clinical Radiology, Experimental NMR, University Hospital Mnster, Mnster, Germany; ²Clinical Radiology, Experimental NMR, Westflische Wilhelms University, Mnster, Germany

In this study we used Manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) to investigate local accumulation pattern of manganese after systemic, fractionated administration by T1 weighted imaging and T1 mapping in a genetic rat model of human absence epilepsy, the Genetic Absence Epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS). We found slight, but significantly reduced T1 relaxation times within the somatosensory cortex of GAERS rat, but no significant differences within other structures of the thalamocortical network when compared to nonepileptic controls. Rather small T1 relaxation reducing effects indicate that systemic administration of manganese is not sufficient and intracranial application has to be performed in future studies.