Publications

2019

Pervolaraki E, Tyson AL, Pibiri F, Poulter SL, Reichelt AC, Rodgers RJ, Clapcote SJ, Lever C, Andreae LC, Dachtler J (2019) The within-subject application of diffusion tensor MRI and CLARITY reveals brain structural changes in Nrxn2 deletion mice Mol Autism

Of the many genetic mutations known to increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder, a large proportion cluster upon synaptic proteins. One such family of presynaptic proteins are the neurexins (NRXN), and recent genetic and mouse evidence has suggested a causative role for NRXN2 in generating altered social behaviours. Autism has been conceptualised as a disorder of atypical connectivity, yet how single-gene mutations affect such connectivity remains under-explored. To attempt to address this, we have developed a quantitative analysis of microstructure and structural connectivity leveraging diffusion tensor MRI (DTI) with high-resolution 3D imaging in optically cleared (CLARITY) brain tissue in the same mouse, applied here to the Nrxn2α knockout (KO) model.

Pubmed: 30858964