Neuroanatomy of the fragile X knockout mouse brain studied using in vivo high resolution magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain of fragile X patients, the mo st frequent form of inherited mental retardation, has revealed abnormalitie s in the size of specific brain structures, including the cerebellar vermis , the hippocampus, and the ventricular system, We intended to quantify the differences observed in the patient studies in the fragile X knockout mouse model, which is a good model for the disease, paralleling the human disord er in having cognitive deficits, macro-orchidism, and immature dendritic sp ines. Therefore,ve set up MRI of the mouse brain which allowed us to measur e the size of the brain structures reported to be abnormal in human fragile X patients in the mouse model. We did not find evidence for size alteratio ns in various brain regions of the fragile X mouse model, but the method de scribed may find a wide application in the study of mutant mouse models wit h neurological involvement.