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      MicroCT optimisation for imaging fascicular anatomy in peripheral nerves

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          There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

          Highlights

          • Developed a simple and reproducible pre-processing and microCT imaging method.

          • Optimised protocol allows for segmentation and tracking of fascicles within the nerve.

          • Able to delineate functional fascicular anatomy of peripheral nerves in high resolution.

          • Obviates time, cost, memory and destruction of samples associated with current methods.

          Abstract

          Background

          Due to the lack of understanding of the fascicular organisation, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) leads to unwanted off-target effects. Micro-computed tomography (microCT) can be used to trace fascicles from periphery and image fascicular anatomy.

          New method

          In this study, we present a simple and reproducible method for imaging fascicles in peripheral nerves with iodine staining and microCT for the determination of fascicular anatomy and organisation.

          Results

          At the determined optimal pre-processing steps and scanning parameters, the microCT protocol allowed for segmentation and tracking of fascicles within the nerves. This was achieved after 24 hours and 120 hours of staining with Lugol’s solution (1% total iodine) for rat sciatic and pig vagus nerves, respectively, and the following scanning parameters: 4 μm voxel size, 35 kVp energy, 114 μA current, 4 W power, 0.25 fps in 4 s exposure time, 3176 projections and a molybdenum target.

          Comparison with existing method(s)

          This optimised method for imaging fascicles provides high-resolution, three-dimensional images and full imaging penetration depth not obtainable with methods typically used such as histology, magnetic resonance imaging and optical coherence tomography whilst obviating time-consuming pre-processing methods, the amount of memory required, destruction of the samples and the cost associated with current microCT methods.

          Conclusion

          The optimised microCT protocol facilitates segmentation and tracking of the fascicles within the nerve. The resulting segmentation map of the functional anatomical organisation of the vagus nerve will enable selective VNS ultimately allowing for the avoidance of the off-target effects and improving its therapeutic efficacy.

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          Most cited references49

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          Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction after Injury: A Review of Clinical and Experimental Therapies

          Unlike other tissues in the body, peripheral nerve regeneration is slow and usually incomplete. Less than half of patients who undergo nerve repair after injury regain good to excellent motor or sensory function and current surgical techniques are similar to those described by Sunderland more than 60 years ago. Our increasing knowledge about nerve physiology and regeneration far outweighs our surgical abilities to reconstruct damaged nerves and successfully regenerate motor and sensory function. It is technically possible to reconstruct nerves at the fascicular level but not at the level of individual axons. Recent surgical options including nerve transfers demonstrate promise in improving outcomes for proximal nerve injuries and experimental molecular and bioengineering strategies are being developed to overcome biological roadblocks limiting patient recovery.
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            High-throughput dual-colour precision imaging for brain-wide connectome with cytoarchitectonic landmarks at the cellular level

            The precise annotation and accurate identification of neural structures are prerequisites for studying mammalian brain function. The orientation of neurons and neural circuits is usually determined by mapping brain images to coarse axial-sampling planar reference atlases. However, individual differences at the cellular level likely lead to position errors and an inability to orient neural projections at single-cell resolution. Here, we present a high-throughput precision imaging method that can acquire a co-localized brain-wide data set of both fluorescent-labelled neurons and counterstained cell bodies at a voxel size of 0.32 × 0.32 × 2.0 μm in 3 days for a single mouse brain. We acquire mouse whole-brain imaging data sets of multiple types of neurons and projections with anatomical annotation at single-neuron resolution. The results show that the simultaneous acquisition of labelled neural structures and cytoarchitecture reference in the same brain greatly facilitates precise tracing of long-range projections and accurate locating of nuclei.
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              The Vagus Nerve in Appetite Regulation, Mood, and Intestinal Inflammation.

              Although the gastrointestinal tract contains intrinsic neural plexuses that allow a significant degree of independent control over gastrointestinal functions, the central nervous system provides extrinsic neural inputs that modulate, regulate, and integrate these functions. In particular, the vagus nerve provides the parasympathetic innervation to the gastrointestinal tract, coordinating the complex interactions between central and peripheral neural control mechanisms. This review discusses the physiological roles of the afferent (sensory) and motor (efferent) vagus in regulation of appetite, mood, and the immune system, as well as the pathophysiological outcomes of vagus nerve dysfunction resulting in obesity, mood disorders, and inflammation. The therapeutic potential of vagus nerve modulation to attenuate or reverse these pathophysiological outcomes and restore autonomic homeostasis is also discussed.
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                Author and article information

                Contributors
                Journal
                J Neurosci Methods
                J. Neurosci. Methods
                Journal of Neuroscience Methods
                Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press
                0165-0270
                1872-678X
                15 May 2020
                15 May 2020
                : 338
                : 108652
                Affiliations
                [a ]EIT and Neurophysiology Lab, Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
                [b ]Electrochemical Innovation Lab, Chemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
                [c ]Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield, AL9 7TA, United Kingdom
                Author notes
                [* ]Corresponding author. nicole.thompson@ 123456ucl.ac.uk
                Article
                S0165-0270(20)30074-1 108652
                10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108652
                7181190
                32179090
                29ebe362-a3d7-40d4-898f-f5408eaa57ce
                © 2020 The Author(s)

                This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

                History
                : 5 November 2019
                : 24 February 2020
                : 25 February 2020
                Categories
                Article

                Neurosciences
                microct,computed tomography,peripheral nerves,autonomic nerves,neuroan,atomy,neuroanatomical mapping

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