DWI and complex brain network analysis predicts vascular cognitive impairment in spontaneous hypertensive rats undergoing executive function tests

The identification of biomarkers of vascular cognitive impairment is urgent for its early diagnosis. The aim of this study was to detect and monitor changes in brain structure and connectivity, and to correlate them with the decline in executive function. We examined the feasibility of early diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to predict cognitive impairment before onset in an animal model of chronic hypertension: Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats. Cognitive performance was tested in an operant conditioning paradigm that evaluated learning, memory, and behavioral flexibility skills. Behavioral tests were coupled with longitudinal diffusion weighted imaging acquired with 126 diffusion gradient directions and 0.3 mm(3) isometric resolution at 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, and 40 weeks after birth. Diffusion weighted imaging was analyzed in two different ways, by regional characterization of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices, and by assessing changes in structural brain network organization based on Q-Ball tractography. Already at the first evaluated times, DTI scalar maps revealed significant differences in many regions, suggesting loss of integrity in white and gray matter of spontaneously hypertensive rats when compared to normotensive control rats. In addition, graph theory analysis of the structural brain network demonstrated a significant decrease of hierarchical modularity, global and local efficacy, with predictive value as shown by regional three-fold cross validation study. Moreover, these decreases were significantly correlated with the behavioral performance deficits observed at subsequent time points, suggesting that the diffusion weighted imaging and connectivity studies can unravel neuroimaging alterations even overt signs of cognitive impairment become apparent.

Corologia de la flora vascular d'interès de conservació al Parc Natural del Montseny

Presentem els resultats dels estudis realitzats des del 2009 al 2012, amb la finalitat de millorar la informació corològica disponibled'espècies de flora vascular considerades d'interès de conservació al Parc Natural del Montseny. S'han tingut en compte un total de 125tàxons. D'aquests, 3 corresponen a tàxons nous per la flora del massís (Aconitum vulparia, Botrychium matricariifolium i Polystichumlonchitis), 7 han estat retrobats i 13 corresponen a novetats per algun dels quadrats UTM 10 × 10 prospectats. Tot i les troballes, moltesespècies no han sigut localitzades durant el treball de camp. En alguns casos, atribuïm aquest fet a la reducció de les poblacions o fins i tota la desaparició, fet que afecta principalment a aquelles espècies vinculades majoritàriament a ambients oberts, que han patit una recessióimportant durant les darreres dècades. Aquest fenomen ha estat especialment rellevant al massís del turó de l'Home, sobretot a la vall deSanta Fe