The studies of epigallocatechin-3-gallate in improving brain injury induced by chronic high-altitude natural environment by 7.0T MRI.

Motivation: The neuroprotective effects of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on chronic high altitude (HA)-induced nerve damage have not been reported. Goal(s): The purpose of this study is to use quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to dynamically evaluate the status of brain damage and the effect of EGCG at HA. Approach: A model of HA environments-induced brain injury was established for different weeks. Neural ultrastructural changes were evaluated with electron microscope. Salidroside treatment was chosen as the positive control group. Results: The susceptibility values in the hippocampus, ferritin, iron content increased significantly after HA exposure. EGCG attenuated HA environments-induced cognitive impairment, iron accumulation, microglial activation and neural degeneration. Impact: The effects of EGCG in reducing EPO and metal chelating property about iron were dose-dependent, with effects of EGCG being similar to those of salidroside. QSM provides a potential complementary imaging technique to detect the effect of treating HA diseases.