Three-dimensional reconstruction of brain structures of the rodent Octodon degus: a brain atlas constructed by combining histological and magnetic resonance images

Abstract

Degus (Octodon degus) are rodents that are becoming more widely used in the neuroscience field. Degus display several more complex behaviors than rats and mice, including complicated social behaviors, vocal communications, and tool usage with superb manual dexterity. However, relatively little information is known about the anatomy of degu brains. Therefore, for these complex behaviors to be correlated with specific brain regions, a contemporary atlas of the degu brain is required. This manuscript describes the construction of a three-dimensional (3D) volume rendered model of the degu brain that combines histological and magnetic resonance images. This atlas provides several advantages, including the ability to visualize the surface of the brain from any angle. The atlas also permits virtual cutting of brain sections in any plane and provides stereotaxic coordinates for all sections, to be beneficial for both experimental surgeries and radiological studies. The reconstructed 3D atlas is freely available online at: http://brainatlas.brain.riken.jp/degu/modules/xoonips/listitem.php?index_id=24.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00221-013-3667-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effects of long-lasting social isolation and re-socialization on cognitive performance and brain activity: a longitudinal study in Octodon degus

“…A plastic escape box (length x height x depth: 31 × 13 × 16 cm) was positioned under the escape hole. Accurate performance requires subjects to learn and remember the location of the escape hole, therefore spatial cues (combination of different colours and shapes: a yellow star, a red square, and a green apple) were placed on the wall of the maze 62 . Briefly, the procedure was divided into three phases: habituation, training, and test phases, and was performed as previously described 58 , 63 .…”

Current models of the marmoset brain

“…However, conception of the steric aspect is no less important, especially for spatially complicated brain structures. To supplement the difficulties in 3D reconstruction, efforts have been made in rodents by employing computer-assisted technology, using data from MRI, Nissl and/or gene expression analyses (Ma et al, 2005;Hjornevik et al, 2007;Dorr et al, 2008;Hawrylycz et al, 2011;Kumazawa-Manita et al, 2013). Although the conversion of histological information to MRI volume data (Saleem and Logothetis, 2012), no comparable studies are available in the common marmoset.…”

“…DATA was then imported into SG-eye software (Fiatlux, Tokyo, Japan). Using this software that we developed for these types of studies (Kumazawa-Manita et al, 2013) and the data obtained from horizontally-cut histological sections we constructed a 3D digital volume-rendered marmoset brain model. Structures described in the marmoset brain atlas (Paxinos et al, 2012) are listed in Table 1, and are organized hierarchically.…”

The long-lived Octodon degus as a rodent drug discovery model for Alzheimer's and other age-related diseases

“…A follow up of poor burrowers with time revealed cognitive deficits in the T-maze. Currently, there is a vast battery of behavioural tests designed for the degu as well as a brain atlas which facilitates neuropathological analysis (Kumazawa-Manita et al, 2013).…”