ALFF analysis revealed regional functional alteration in MCI group compared to controls.

<p>Compared to the control group, both increased and decreased regional function was revealed in MCI group in relative to controls.</p

VBM analysis revealed decreased gray matter volume in MCI group compared to controls.

<p>Compared to the control group, the MCI group showed significantly decreased GMV (blue region) in mainly in bilateral prefrontal, left temporal and posterior cingulate cortex.</p

ALFF analysis revealed both increased and decreased regional function in MCI group compared to controls.

<p>ALFF analysis revealed both increased and decreased regional function in MCI group compared to controls.</p

Demographic information for treatment naïve MCI patients and the healthy controls.

<p>Data are presented as the range of mean±SD (range). MCI: mild cognitive impairment; MMSE: MiniMental State Examination; CDT: Clock Drawing Test; ADL: Activities of Daily Living; HAMD: Hamilton Depression Scale; CDR: Clinical Dementia Rating Scale; AVLT: Auditory Verbal Learning Test.</p

VBM analysis revealed decreased gray matter volume in MCI group compared to controls.

<p>*: p<0.05, corrected at whole brain level;</p><p>**: p<0.05, after small volume correction (SVC).</p

A Novel Canine Model of Acute Vertebral Artery Occlusion

<div><p>Background</p><p>The extended time window and theoretic reduction in hemorrhage make mechanical strategies an attractive approach for the treatment of patients with ischemic stroke. However, a limited availability of suitable animal models of cerebrovascular thrombosis has hampered the study of novel endovascular interventions. The aim of the present study was to develop a new technique for site-specific placement of a thrombus in a canine model that would allow for the evaluation of mechanical thrombectomy and clot retrieval methods and the visualization of thrombus dislocation or fragmentation during angiographic manipulation.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Angiography and embolization with a preformed thrombus were performed in 12 canines. Under fluoroscopic guidance, an embolism protection device (EPD) was anchored to the middle segment of the left vertebral artery (VA) via the left femoral arterial sheath. A preformed radiopaque clot was injected through the guide catheter into the left VA, via the contralateral femoral artery, proximal to the EPD. After 15 min of occlusion, the EPD was removed and persistent occlusion of the VA was documented angiographically.</p><p>Results</p><p>Angiography performed during the observation period confirmed the persistence of VA occlusion in each case, and displacement of the radiopaque clots did not occur during the 3-hour observation period. The technique allowed selective embolization of targeted vessels without thrombus fragmentation.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>This study demonstrates, for the first time, a canine model of post-circulation embolism induced by autologous blood clot placement. This model can be rapidly formed and easily operated, and the site of thrombosis can be readily controlled.</p></div

Overlap between the morphometric (red regions) and functional (blue regions) results.

<p>Though the decreased ALFF in the right middle frontal gyrus and left inferior frontal gyrus (Within red circle) were found quite near the decreased GMV in the same region, the ALFF in these regions did not correlate with the GMV.</p

Representative angiographic images from a dog showing the successful establishment of left vertebral artery occlusion.

<p>A, B: Antero-posterior images of the left vertebral artery after injection of contrast. C, D: A custom-designed, dedicated, self-expanding thrombus filter (length 10 mm, diameter 4 mm; white arrows, panel C) was pre-deployed into the middle segment of the left vertebral artery. E: The non-subtracted image shows adequate radiopacity of the injected barium sulfate-marked thrombus. F: Digital subtraction image showing complete occlusion of the left vertebral artery. G: Complete occlusion of the vessel was confirmed 45 min later. Vertebrobasilar embolism did not occur distal to the thrombus filter.</p

The regions having significantly increased MD values in the aMCI group compared to the control group (TFCE corrected, p<0.05).

<p>The regions having significantly increased MD values in the aMCI group compared to the control group (TFCE corrected, p<0.05).</p

The regions having significantly increased MD values in the aMCI group compared to the control group (TFCE corrected, p<0.0001).

<p>The regions having significantly increased MD values in the aMCI group compared to the control group (TFCE corrected, p<0.0001).</p