Manganese Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging reveals light-induced brain asymmetry in embryo

The idea that sensory stimulation to the embryo (in utero or in ovo) may be crucial for brain development is widespread. Unfortunately, up to now evidence was only indirect because mapping of embryonic brain activity in vivo is challenging. Here we applied for the first time Manganese Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MEMRI), a functional imaging method, to the eggs of domestic chicks. We revealed both spontaneous and light-induced brain asymmetry by comparing embryonic brain activity in vivo of eggs that were stimulated by light or maintained in the darkness. Our protocol paves the way to investigation of the effects of a variety of sensory stimulations on brain activity in embryo.

胚胎（子宫内或卵内）所受的感官刺激可能对大脑发育至关重要，这一观点已被广泛接受。遗憾的是，截至目前相关证据仅为间接证据，因为在活体状态下绘制胚胎大脑活动图谱极具挑战性。本研究首次将锰增强磁共振成像（Manganese Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MEMRI）——一种功能性成像技术——应用于家鸡的卵。通过对比接受光照刺激与保持黑暗状态的卵的活体胚胎大脑活动，我们同时揭示了自发性与光照诱导的大脑不对称性。本实验方案为探究各类感官刺激对胚胎大脑活动的影响铺平了道路。