New Publications
"A diffusion tensor brain template for Rhesus Macaques" (Adluru et al., January 2012, NeuroImage). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a powerful and noninvasive imaging method for characterizing tissue microstructure and white matter organization in the brain. While it has been applied extensively in research studies of the human brain, DTI studies of non-human primates have been performed only recently. The growing application of DTI in rhesus monkey studies would significantly benefit from a standardized framework to compare findings across different studies. A very common strategy for image analysis is to spatially normalize (co-register) the individual scans to a representative template space. This paper presents the development of a DTI brain template, UWRMAC-DTI271, for adolescent Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) monkeys.
"Specific α4β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Binding of [F-18]Nifene in the Rhesus Monkey" (Hillmer et al., December 2011, Synapse). This study characterizes the in vivo behavior of a new α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine radioligand, [F-18]nifene. The authors found that [F-18]nifene exhibits rapid equilibration times and elevated binding in areas consistent with nicotinic acetylcholine receptor rich areas of the rhesus monkey brain. Potential applications using this radiotracer include studies examining Alzheimer's disease, healthy aging, Parkinson's disease, and tobacco dependence.
"An in vivo comparison of cis- and trans-[F-18]mefway in the nonhuman primate" (Wooten et al., October 2011, Nuclear Medicine and Biology). This work examines the binding properties of two isomeric forms of [F-18]mefway showing that a simple change in the position of F-18 labeling (either cis or trans) can drastically change the binding properties of the ligand. The lower binding and faster kinetics of cis-[F-18]mefway make it a possible candidate for measuring endogenous serotonin levels with PET.
"Regional Cortical Thinning Associated with Detectable Levels of HIV DNA" (Kallianpur, Kirk, et al., October 2011, Cerebral Cortex). High levels of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and specifically within CD14+ blood monocytes, have been found in HIV-infected individuals with neurocognitive impairment and dementia. The failure of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to eliminate cognitive dysfunction in HIV may be secondary to persistence of HIV-infected PBMCs which cross the blood-brain barrier, leading to perivascular inflammation and neuronal injury. This study assessed brain cortical thickness relative to HIV DNA levels and identified, we believe for the first time, a neuroimaging correlate of detectable PBMC HIV DNA in subjects with undetectable HIV RNA. The largest regions affected were in bilateral insula, orbitofrontal and temporal cortices, right superior frontal cortex, and right caudal anterior cingulate. Cortical thinning correlated significantly with a measure of psychomotor speed. The areas of reduced cortical thickness are key nodes in cognitive and emotional processing networks and may be etiologically important in HIV-related neurological deficits.
Lab in the News
October 16: Wisconsin State Journal: UW Madison researchers to meet with Dalai Lama - Jonathan Patz and Richard Davidson travel to India.
October 5: Bas Rokers, Psychology professor and Brain Imaging PI, is featured in National Geographic's show, Brain Games, which will air Sunday night (Oct 9th) at 7:00 pm Central time on the National Geographic Channel (NGC). Plus, you might see other BI staff members!
July 23: Philadelphia Inquirer (Philly.com): Into 'the science of thriving' covers Richard Davidson's involvement in the Second World Congress on Positive Psychology in Philadelphia on Tuesday, July 26.
July 14: New York Times: Graduate student, Jenny Liu, and her colleagues at Harvard covered in this NYT article, Internet Use Affects Memory, Study Finds.