Proton Magnetic Resonance of Biological Systems

生物系统的质子磁共振

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-04513
• 负责人: MacKay, Alex
• 金额: $ 3.5万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=658300
• 关键词: Proton; Magnetic; Resonance; Biological; Systems

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), with its combined sensitivity to both structure and dynamics, is a well-proven technique for the study of biological systems. Since life processes occur in solution, the proton NMR of water in these systems should contain important information. Indeed, medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relies on the exquisite contrast provided by differences in signal from tissue water between different types of normal tissue and between normal and pathological tissue. However, our understanding of the fundamental origins of this exquisite MR contrast is still at a primitive stage.***At present our research is focused on brain and spine tissue in humans and animal models of human tissue. Our research program has three main themes: 1) exploring the fundamental mechanisms responsible for the nature of the magnetic resonance (MR) signal (or MRI contrast). 2) developing and optimising MR techniques which exploit the fundamental mechanisms to create unique contrasts and 3) application of these MR techniques to better understand normal and abnormal human tissue structure and function. ***For the past two decades, our research group has worked on the measurement of myelin content non invasively by MRI. We pioneered the in vivo measurement of the myelin water fraction (the faction of signal from myelin water) which promises to provide an accurate in vivo MR measure of myelin. Myelin, which insulates neurons in brain, accelerates nerve signal conduction rates by two orders of magnitude and when myelin is damaged there are clinical deficits. Myelin plays a large role in how the brain works, consequently, much research has been dedicated to finding techniques for imaging myelin in humans in vivo.****OBJECTIVES of this NSERC Discovery Grant Research Program: ***1) To better understand myelin water imaging by characterising the fundamental mechanisms, particular the role of magnetization exchange. ***2) To explore the mechanisms behind other magnetic resonance techniques which have been proposed to measure myelin in vivo - mcDESPOT and inhomogeneous MT. ***3) To further optimise the myelin water imaging technique by reducing scan time and increasing signal to noise***4) To further understand the role of myelination in normal brain and spine function ***The research will be carried out in two locations: UBC Physics where we shall use a NMR spectrometer to study ex vivo bovine (cow) brain and samples which model brain; and UBC Radiology where we shall study normal human brain and spine. ***This research will result in improvements to MRI techniques for measuring brain and spine myelination. The ability to measure myelin accurately will enable assessment of the efficacy of drugs designed to protect the brain from demyelination or to induce remyelination in abnormal brain. It will also aid in characterizing the role of myelination in normal brain and many neurological diseases, for example, multiple sclerosis. **

核磁共振 (NMR) 具有对结构和动力学的综合敏感性，是一种经过充分验证的生物系统研究技术。由于生命过程发生在溶液中，这些系统中水的质子核磁共振应该包含重要信息。事实上，医学磁共振成像 (MRI) 依赖于不同类型的正常组织之间以及正常组织与病理组织之间的组织水信号差异所提供的精确对比度。然而，我们对这种精致的 MR 对比的基本起源的理解仍处于初级阶段。***目前我们的研究重点是人类的大脑和脊柱组织以及人体组织的动物模型。 我们的研究计划有三个主题：1）探索磁共振 (MR) 信号（或 MRI 对比）性质的基本机制。 2) 开发和优化 MR 技术，利用基本机制创建独特的对比；3) 应用这些 MR 技术更好地了解正常和异常的人体组织结构和功能。 ***在过去的二十年里，我们的研究小组一直致力于通过 MRI 无创测量髓磷脂含量。我们率先对髓磷脂水部分（髓磷脂水信号的部分）进行体内测量，这有望提供准确的髓磷脂体内 MR 测量。髓磷脂可以隔离大脑中的神经元，使神经信号传导速率加快两个数量级，当髓磷脂受损时，就会出现临床缺陷。髓磷脂在大脑的工作方式中发挥着重要作用，因此，许多研究致力于寻找人体体内髓磷脂成像的技术。****此 NSERC 发现资助研究计划的目标：***1) 通过表征基本机制（特别是磁化交换的作用）来更好地了解髓磷脂水成像。 ***2) 探索其他用于测量体内髓磷脂的磁共振技术 - mcDESPOT 和非均质 MT 背后的机制。 ***3) 通过减少扫描时间和增加信噪比来进一步优化髓磷脂水成像技术***4) 进一步了解髓鞘形成在正常大脑和脊柱功能中的作用***该研究将在两个地点进行：UBC 物理中心，我们将使用核磁共振波谱仪研究离体牛脑和大脑模型样本；和 UBC 放射学，我们将在那里研究正常的人类大脑和脊柱。 ***这项研究将改进测量大脑和脊柱髓鞘形成的 MRI 技术。准确测量髓鞘质的能力将能够评估旨在保护大脑免于脱髓鞘或诱导异常大脑髓鞘再生的药物的功效。它还将有助于表征髓鞘形成在正常大脑和许多神经系统疾病（例如多发性硬化症）中的作用。 **