title: Magnetic resonance imaging for monitoring neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The application is in the field of bioimaging and adult neurogenesis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  It aims at correlating the volume of cerebral blood (CBV) in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the human hippocampus, determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with neurogenesis in the brain of adult rodents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult mice were submitted to voluntary exercise or administration of fluoxetine or valproic acid (VPA). The CBV of DG was determined by MRI and neurogenesis was quantified by immunohistofluorescence. The CBV in human subjects selected and grouped according to their fitness activity was determined by MRI in the DG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A selective increase in the CBV of the DG is observed in rodents housed in activity cages or administered with fluoxetine and VPA. A selective increase in the CBV of the DG is also observed in exercising humans. The selective increase of the CBV in the human DG correlates with the selective increase of the CBV in the DG and neurogenesis induced by exercise or fluoxetine and VPA in rodents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This indicates that neurogenesis is increased in the DG of exercising humans. The application claims the imaging of the DG of patients by MRI as a paradigm to monitor neurogenesis and identify treatments involving stimulation of neurogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Dublin City University, School of Biotechnology, Glasnevin, Dublin, 9, Ireland 353 01 700 5284 ; 353 01 700 5412 philippe.taupin@dcu.ie.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Taupin