Maosen Wang

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) based on blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) contrast is widely used for probing brain activity¹. Neurovascular coupling constitutes the physiological basis for BOLD^{2, 3}. Neurons, astrocytes and vessels cells are the main components of the neurovascular unit and work in concert to maintain the homeostasis of the brain microenvironment^{4, 5.} The anatomical techniques demonstrated that astrocytes were connected the synaptic cleft with smooth muscle cells through multiple end feet. The morphology of astrocytes place them as likely a potential mediator, relaying synaptic activity between neurons and vasculature⁶. The goal of my doctoral project is to identify the astrocytic contribution to the BOLD fMRI signal  by simultaneous BOLD fMRI and neuronal/astrocytic calcium signal recording.

Reference

1.  Schulz, K. et al. Simultaneous BOLD fMRI and fiber-optic calcium recording in rat neocortex. Nat Methods 9, 597-602 (2012).

2.  Attwell, D. & Iadecola, C. The neural basis of functional brain imaging signals. Trends in Neurosciences 25, 621-625 (2002).

3.  Logothetis, N.K. & Wandell, B.A. Interpreting the BOLD signal. Annual Review of Physiology 66, 735-769 (2004).

4.  Attwell, D. et al. Glial and neuronal control of brain blood flow.Nature468, 232-43 (2010).

5.  Zonta, M. et al. Neuron-to-astrocyte signaling is central to the dynamic control of brain microcirculation. Nature Neuroscience 6, 43-50 (2003).

6.  Wolf, F. & Kirchhoff, F. Neuroscience. Imaging astrocyte activity.Science 320, 1597-9 (2008).