Tensor-Valued Diffusion MRI Identifies Brain Microstructural Alterations in Gene Knockdown Mouse

Motivation: DEAD‐box helicase 24 (DDX24) gene mutations linked to abnormalities of major vessels1. However, the effect of the gene DDX24 on brain microstructure remains unclear. Goal(s): Our goal was to demonstrate how advanced tensor-valued diffusion MRI can reveal microstructural alterations in a Ddx24 knockdown mouse model. Approach: We performed advanced tensor-valued diffusion MRI to examine Ddx24 knockdown mouse brain and evaluated the performance of Ddx24 knockdown mice in the Morris water maze test. Results: Ddx24 knockdown mouse revealed declining microscopic anisotropy kurtosis (MKA) in corpus callosum and hippocampus. Tensor-valued diffusion MRI is a sensitive neuroimaging tool to evaluate gene-edited mouse brain microstructural alterations. Impact: Advanced tensor-valued diffusion MRI provided cylinders shapes sensitive MKA and spherical shapes sensitive MKI for detecting microstructural alterations in genetic diseases.