Summary: Auburn University has installed a $9 million Siemens Magnetom Terra.X 7 Tesla MRI scanner, offering researchers high-resolution brain imaging to advance studies on neuron activity, decision-making, and disorders like autism and Alzheimer’s.

Key Takeaways

  • Enhanced Imaging Capabilities: Auburn University’s new 7 Tesla MRI scanner provides high-resolution and uniform imaging, along with sodium imaging, for detailed analysis of brain structure and function.
  • Research Applications: The scanner is being used for studies on PTSD biomarkers, brain connectivity in mental illness, and brain energy production.
  • Neuroscience Focus: Researchers aim to use the scanner to study neural networks, decision-making, and disorders like autism and Alzheimer’s.

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Auburn University has installed the Siemens Magnetom Terra.X 7 Tesla (7T) MRI scanner at the Auburn University Neuroimaging Center. This new $9 million scanner provides researchers with high-resolution images of the brain, offering new opportunities to study its structure and function in greater detail.

Enhancing Brain Imaging Capabilities

Opi Krishna Deshpande, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, specializes in signal and image processing. Deshpande and his colleagues aim to better understand how information flows between neurons and how this affects decision-making and disorders such as autism and Alzheimer’s.

“For researchers, the brain is a vast, intricate network of neurons and connections. To truly understand its functions, we need the most detailed and high-resolution images available, and this 7T scanner delivers,” says Deshpande.

The 7T MRI scanner offers significant improvements over the center’s previous equipment. According to Thomas Denney, director of the Auburn University Neuroimaging Center, the new scanner’s technology provides more uniform imaging and sodium imaging capabilities, which are useful for detecting abnormalities in the brain.

“With our old 7T, if we scanned certain regions, you wouldn’t get uniform coverage,” says Denney. “Our new Terra.X 7 provides us with eight transmit channels, giving us more comprehensive images. Sodium imaging allows us to measure sodium levels regionally in the brain, which can help identify abnormalities.”

MRI Powers Multiple Neuroscience Research Projects

Several research projects are already underway using the new MRI scanner. Meredith Reid, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, is studying biomarkers for post-traumatic stress disorder in older adults. Jennifer Robinson, professor of psychological sciences, is comparing brain connectivity in healthy populations and those with mental illness. Adil Bashir, associate professor in electrical and computer engineering, is examining brain energy production using phosphorus spectroscopy, while Doug Martin from the College of Veterinary Medicine is measuring the effects of gene therapy for Tay-Sachs disease in animal models.

“MRI research has come a long way — and it will continue to evolve,” Deshpande adds. “I’m proud that Auburn University is contributing to this field as we explore new areas and provide research that can improve quality of life.”