Monitoring Alzheimer's disease-related fluid microenvironment changes using magnetic resonance-based electrical conductivity imaging

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) status is an indicator of pathological feature associated with metabolic waste clearance dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. Magnetic resonance-based conductivity imaging provides novel contrast sensitive to ion concentration, mobility, and microstructural changes. We applied conductivity imaging to 5xFAD mice and age-matched wild-type controls using 9.4 T MRI, measuring regional conductivity in ventricular CSF, caudate putamen, cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hippocampus. AD mice showed ventricular enlargement with significantly elevated CSF conductivity, and increased hippocampal conductivity consistent with AD involvement, but no changes in other regions. These findings suggest conductivity imaging as a marker of fluid microenvironmental changes in AD.