MR Neuroimaging Agents, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany.
Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, UPR 4301 CNRS, Université d'Orléans, rue Charles Sadron, 45071 Orléans Cedex 2, France.
Chem Soc Rev. 2017 Jan 23;46(2):324-336. doi: 10.1039/c6cs00154h.
A great deal of research involving multidisciplinary approaches is currently dedicated to the understanding of brain function. The complexity of physiological processes that underlie neural activity is the greatest hurdle to faster advances. Among imaging techniques, MRI has great potential to enable mapping of neural events with excellent specificity, spatiotemporal resolution and unlimited tissue penetration depth. To this end, molecular imaging approaches using neurotransmitter-sensitive MRI agents have appeared recently to study neuronal activity, along with the first successful in vivo MRI studies. Here, we review the pioneering steps in the development of molecular MRI methods that could allow functional imaging of the brain by sensing the neurotransmitter activity directly. We provide a brief overview of other imaging and analytical methods to detect neurotransmitter activity, and describe the approaches to sense neurotransmitters by means of molecular MRI agents. Based on these initial steps, further progress in probe chemistry and the emergence of innovative imaging methods to directly monitor neurotransmitters can be envisaged.
目前，大量涉及多学科方法的研究致力于理解大脑功能。神经活动所基于的生理过程的复杂性是更快进展的最大障碍。在成像技术中，MRI 具有极大的潜力，可以实现具有优异特异性、时空分辨率和无限组织穿透深度的神经事件映射。为此，最近出现了使用神经递质敏感 MRI 造影剂的分子成像方法，以研究神经元活动以及首次成功的体内 MRI 研究。在这里，我们回顾了开发分子 MRI 方法的开创性步骤，这些方法可以通过直接感知神经递质活性来实现大脑的功能成像。我们简要概述了其他用于检测神经递质活性的成像和分析方法，并描述了通过分子 MRI 造影剂来感知神经递质的方法。基于这些初步步骤，可以预见探针化学的进一步进展和直接监测神经递质的创新成像方法的出现。
