High Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Mouse Models related to Autism

High Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Mouse Model related to Autism

Dr Jason Lerch, Dr Jacob Ellegood, Dr Mark Henkleman, POND Network

Drs. Jason Lerch, Jacob Ellegood, Mark Henkleman and their team at the Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe) at the Hospital for Sick Children have pioneered high throughput mouse brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to better understand how autism affects the brain. In collaboration with multiple international and national labs, the team is using MRI to phenotype multiple mouse strains with genetic mutations that are known to be associated with autism. These images capture the complex heterogeneity inherent in the autism spectrum and also identify key brain areas that are commonly involved across these mouse models. The MRI images provide whole brain coverage, and with advanced image processing and statistics, allow the determination of alterations in brain structure or microstructure to a resolution of 40-80 microns. This open data release includes 31 mouse models representing 23 genotypes from their ongoing study of 90+ mouse strains, which will continue to be shared in future releases.

This project was funded by the Ontario Brain Institute’s POND Program, with support from Brain Canada and CIHR.

Data Profile

31 mouse models related to autism representing 23 phenotypes Anatomical scans collected on a 7.0 T MRI scanner, using T2 sequencing Raw and processed imaging data for 860 mice Volumetric measurements for 336 brain regions for each mouse

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