Children affected by hepatic encephalopathy (HE) suffer from irreversible cognitive damage, and thus exploring the developing brain during HE is of crucial interest. Histology in an adult rat model of HE suggested alterations in the cerebellar microstructure, but there is a need for in vivo probes of these changes. Combining diffusion MRS and diffusion MRI, we measured increased metabolites’ diffusivities, as well as an increased intra-neurite/axon water diffusivity in white and gray matter in the cerebellum of a young rat model of HE compared to control rats, suggesting an alteration of cell density and/or of neurite network complexity.
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