title: Is there a path beyond BOLD? Molecular imaging of brain function.
abstract: The dependence of BOLD on neuro-vascular coupling leaves it many biological steps removed from direct monitoring of neural function. MRI based approaches have been developed aimed at reporting more directly on brain function. These include: manganese enhanced MRI as a surrogate for calcium ion influx; agents responsive to calcium concentrations; approaches to measure membrane potential; agents to measure neurotransmitters; and strategies to measure gene expression. This work has led to clever design of molecular imaging tools and many contributions to studies of brain function in animal models. However, a robust approach that has potential to get MRI closer to neurons in the human brain has not yet emerged.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. koretskya@ninds.nih.gov
authors.forename: Alan P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Koretsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*