Assessing long-term neuroinflammatory responses to encephalopathy using MRI approaches in a rat endotoxemia model

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) induces neuroinflammation, which is associated with cognitive impairment (CI). CI is also correlated with aging. We used contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), perfusion MRI, and MR spectroscopy to assess long-term alterations in BBB permeability, microvascularity, and metabolism, respectively, in a rat lipopolysaccharide-induced SAE model. Free radical-targeted molecular MRI was used to detect brain radical levels at 24 h and 1 week post-LPS injection. CE-MRI showed increased Gd-DTPA uptake in LPS rat brains at 24 h in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and perirhinal cortex regions. Increased MRI signal intensities were observed in LPS rat brains in cerebral cortex, perirhinal cortex, and hippocampus regions 1 week post-LPS. Long-term BBB dysfunction was detected in the cerebral cortex at 6 weeks post-LPS. Increased relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in cortex and thalamus regions at 24 h, decreased cortical and hippocampal rCBF at 6 weeks, decreased cortical rCBF at 3 and 12 weeks, and increased thalamus rCBF at 6 weeks post-LPS, were detected. MRS indicated that LPS-exposed rat brains had decreased: NAA/Cho metabolite ratios at 1, 3, 6, and 12 weeks; Cr/Cho at 1, 3, and 12 weeks; and Myo-Ins/Cho at 1, 3, and 6 weeks post-LPS. Free radical imaging detected increased radical levels in LPS rat brains at 24 h and 1 week post-LPS. LPS-exposed rats were compared to saline-treated controls. We clearly demonstrated BBB dysfunction, impaired vascularity, and decreased brain metabolites, as measures of long-term neuroinflammatory indicators, as well as increased free radicals in a LPS-induced rat SAE model.