Quantitative MRI and 1H-MRS in Traumatic Brain Injury

描述（由申请人提供）：轻度创伤性脑损伤（MTBI）也称为脑震荡，是一个重大的公共卫生问题，每年有近150万例病例，可导致包括脑震荡后综合征和慢性创伤性脑病在内的长期并发症。诸如此类的担忧引起了公众对MTBI的关注。我们小组和其他人的证据表明，即使是一次脑震荡发作也会导致大脑的长期变化，这些变化可以通过磁共振成像（MRI）可视化。在动物和人类的研究中，脑铁受到高度调节，在创伤性脑损伤后显示出异常。虽然铁对于许多正常的细胞过程至关重要，但它也与许多神经退行性疾病有关，因为它通过产生氧自由基对大脑产生毒性。与创伤性脑损伤相关的脑铁异常可能是创伤与一系列与创伤相关的神经退行性疾病（包括慢性创伤性脑病和阿尔茨海默病）之间的联系。我们建议使用MRI，包括一种称为磁场相关的新技术，在单次脑震荡发作后量化体内区域脑铁，并跟踪脑铁随时间的变化。这个应用程序有一个翻译的重点，我们将研究的关系

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) also known as concussion is a major public health problem with close to 1.5 million cases a year that can result in long-term complications including Post-Concussive Syndrome and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Concerns such as these have brought MTBI to public attention. There is evidence from our group and others that even a single concussive episode can cause long-term changes in the brain that can be visualized by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Brain iron is highly regulated and has been shown to be abnormal after traumatic brain injury in both animal and human studies. Though iron is essential for a number of normal cellular processes, it is also implicated in a number of neurodegenerative disorders as causing toxicity to the brain via the production of oxygen free radicals. Abnormal iron in the brain associated with traumatic brain injury may be a link between trauma and a host of neurodegenerative conditions which have been associated with trauma, including Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Alzheimer's Disease. We propose to use MRI, including a novel technique called Magnetic Field Correlation, to quantify regional brain iron in vivo after a single concussive episode and to follow changes in brain iron over time. This application has a translational focus and we will study the relationship between brain iron and long-term changes in brain structure as well as the predictive value of brain iron in determining functional changes in the brain and clinical outcome. Identifying and understanding secondary injury such as toxicity from abnormal brain iron is a critical next step in the study of MTBI. Secondary injury cascades can potentially be slowed or stopped and, as such, are excellent potential targets for future development of therapy. The primary long-term objective of this application is to examine the role of brain iron in MTBI using MRI. If successful this work would open up avenues for potential treatment.