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Brain Sciences
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Application of MRI in Brain Diseases
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Application of MRI in Brain Diseases

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurotechnology and Neuroimaging".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 6 November 2025 | Viewed by 1539

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carlo A. Mallio

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Guest Editor
Research Unit of Radiology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy
Interests: neuroradiology; oncologic imaging; contrast media; artificial intelligence
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Gianfranco Di Gennaro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Græcia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Interests: epidemiology; advanced biostatistics; statistical modelling; neuroradiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Andrea Elefante

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: oncologic imaging; advanced imaging; diagnostic imaging

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to generate pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes inside the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves to form images of the organs in the body. The technology continually evolves as groundbreaking innovations and applications emerge. For example, some researchers use non-contrast MRI surveillance of craniopharyngiomas; some researchers found that by employing the spherical mean MRI technique, they can detect the IDH status in brain gliomas; and some researchers utilize generative artificial intelligence to transform grayscale MRI images into colour. This helps us to better understand multiple sclerosis, among other diseases.

This Special Issue, "Application of MRI in Brain Diseases", explores the forefront of this discipline. In an era marked by technological advancements, this collection of articles spotlights the transformative impact of MRI on diagnostics, treatment, and research in brain diseases.

This Special Issue delves into the vanguard of MRI, providing fresh insights and new avenues for clinicians, researchers, and practitioners.

Dr. Carlo A. Mallio
Dr. Gianfranco Di Gennaro
Prof. Dr. Andrea Elefante
Guest Editors

 

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • medical imaging
  • neurological disorders
  • mental disorders
  • brain diseases
  • diagnosis
  • treatment

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 5895 KiB  
Article
Brain Structural Correlates of EEG Network Hyperexcitability, Symptom Severity, Attention, and Memory in Borderline Personality Disorder
by Andrea Schlump, Bernd Feige, Swantje Matthies, Katharina von Zedtwitz, Isabelle Matteit, Thomas Lange, Kathrin Nickel, Katharina Domschke, Marco Reisert, Alexander Rau, Markus Heinrichs, Dominique Endres, Ludger Tebartz van Elst and Simon Maier
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(6), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15060592 - 31 May 2025
Viewed by 390
Abstract
Introduction: Previous neuroimaging studies have reported structural brain alterations and local network hyperexcitability in terms of increased slow-wave electroencephalography (EEG) activity in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). In particular, intermittent rhythmic delta and theta activity (IRDA/IRTA) has drawn attention in mental [...] Read more.
Introduction: Previous neuroimaging studies have reported structural brain alterations and local network hyperexcitability in terms of increased slow-wave electroencephalography (EEG) activity in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). In particular, intermittent rhythmic delta and theta activity (IRDA/IRTA) has drawn attention in mental health contexts due to its links with metabolic imbalances, neuronal stress, and emotional dysregulation—processes that are highly pertinent to BPD. These functional disturbances may be reflected in corresponding structural brain changes. The current study investigated cortical thickness and subcortical volumes in BPD and examined their associations with IRDA/IRTA events per minute, symptom severity, and neuropsychological measures. Methods: Seventy female BPD patients and 36 age-matched female healthy controls (HC) were included (for clinical EEG comparisons even 72 patients were available). IRDA/IRTA rates were assessed using an automatic independent component analyses (ICA) approach. T1-weighted MRI data were obtained using a MAGNETOM Prisma 3T system and analyzed with FreeSurfer (version 7.2) for subcortical structures and CAT12 for cortical thickness and global volume measurements. Psychometric assessments included questionnaires such as Borderline Symptom List (BSL-23) and Inventory of Personality Organization (IPO). Neuropsychological performance was evaluated with the Test for Attentional Performance (TAP), Culture Fair Intelligence Test (CFT-20-R), and Verbal Learning and Memory Test (VLMT). Results: Between-group comparisons exhibited no significant increase in IRDA/IRTA rates or structural abnormalities between the BPD and HC group. However, within the BPD group, cortical thickness of the right isthmus of the cingulate gyrus negatively correlated with the IRDA/IRTA difference (after minus before hyperventilation, HV; p < 0.001). Furthermore, BPD symptom severity (BSL-23) and IPO scores positively correlated with the thickness of the right rostral anterior cingulate cortex (p < 0.001), and IPO scores were associated with the thickness of the right temporal pole (p < 0.001). Intrinsic alertness (TAP) significantly correlated with relative cerebellar volume (p = 0.01). Discussion: While no group-level structural abnormalities were observed, correlations between EEG slowing, BPD symptom severity, and alertness with cortical thickness and/or subcortical volumes suggest a potential role of the anterior cingulate cortex, temporal pole, and cerebellum in emotion regulation and cognitive functioning in BPD. Future research employing multimodal EEG-MRI approaches may provide deeper insights into the neural mechanisms underlying BPD and guide personalized therapeutic strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of MRI in Brain Diseases)
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19 pages, 5211 KiB  
Article
Alterations in the Temporal Variation and Spatial Distribution of Blood–Brain Barrier Permeability Following Electromagnetic Pulse Radiation: A Study Based on Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI
by Kexian Wang, Haoyu Wang, Ji Dong, Li Zhao, Hui Wang, Jing Zhang, Xinping Xu, Binwei Yao, Yunfei Lai and Ruiyun Peng
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(6), 577; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15060577 - 27 May 2025
Viewed by 244
Abstract
Background: Previous studies have suggested that electromagnetic pulse (EMP) can induce openings in the blood–brain barrier (BBB). However, the temporal variation and spatial distribution of BBB permeability after EMP radiation are difficult to assess using conventional histopathological approaches. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging [...] Read more.
Background: Previous studies have suggested that electromagnetic pulse (EMP) can induce openings in the blood–brain barrier (BBB). However, the temporal variation and spatial distribution of BBB permeability after EMP radiation are difficult to assess using conventional histopathological approaches. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is a valuable tool for the in vivo evaluation of BBB permeability. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the temporal variation and spatial distribution of BBB permeability after EMP radiation in rats using DCE-MRI. Methods: The dose of EMP was estimated through simulations utilizing a digital rat model comprising 16 distinct brain regions. Then, the changes in BBB permeability of the different rat brain regions at different time points (3 h and 24 h) after EMP radiation were evaluated using quantitative DCE-MRI. Furthermore, the spatial difference in BBB permeability was assessed 3 h after exposure. Finally, the dose–effect relationship between the electric field strength and the BBB permeability was also investigated. Results: The results demonstrated that the changes in the values of volume transfer constant (ΔKtrans) significantly increased in several rat brain regions at 3 h after 400 kV/m EMP radiation. These changes vanished 24 h after exposure. Meanwhile, no significant spatial differences in BBB permeability were observed after EMP radiation. Moreover, Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive linear relationship between BBB permeability and the electric field strength within an external electric field strength range of 0 to 400 kV/m at 3 h after EMP radiation. Conclusions: EMP radiation can induce a reversible increase in BBB permeability in rats. Moreover, no significant differences in BBB permeability were found across different brain regions. Additionally, the degree of BBB permeability was positively correlated with the regional electric field strength of EMP radiation within an external electric field strength range of 0 to 400 kV/m at 3 h after EMP radiation. These results indicate the promising potential of employing EMP for transient openings in the BBB, which could facilitate clinical pharmacological interventions via drug delivery into the brain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of MRI in Brain Diseases)
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Review

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18 pages, 1065 KiB  
Review
Multimodal Neuroimaging of Obesity: From Structural-Functional Mechanisms to Precision Interventions
by Wenhua Liu, Na Li, Dongsheng Tang, Lang Qin and Zhiqiang Zhu
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(5), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15050446 - 25 Apr 2025
Viewed by 670
Abstract
Purpose: Obesity’s metabolic consequences are well documented; however, its neurobiological underpinnings remain elusive. This systematic review addresses a critical gap by synthesizing evidence on obesity-induced neuroplasticity across structural, functional, and molecular domains through advanced neuroimaging. Methods: According to PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched [...] Read more.
Purpose: Obesity’s metabolic consequences are well documented; however, its neurobiological underpinnings remain elusive. This systematic review addresses a critical gap by synthesizing evidence on obesity-induced neuroplasticity across structural, functional, and molecular domains through advanced neuroimaging. Methods: According to PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched (2015–2024) across PubMed/Web of Science, employing MeSH terms: (“Obesity” [Majr]) AND (“Neuroimaging” [Mesh] OR “Magnetic Resonance Imaging” [Mesh]). A total of 104 studies met the inclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria required the following: (1) multimodal imaging protocols (structural MRI/diffusion tensor imaging/resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)/positron emission tomography (PET)); (2) pre-/post-intervention longitudinal design. Risk of bias was assessed via the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Key Findings: 1. Structural alterations: 7.2% mean gray matter reduction in prefrontal cortex (Cohen’s d = 0.81). White matter integrity decline (FA reduction β = −0.33, p < 0.001) across 12 major tracts. 2. Functional connectivity: Resting-state hyperactivity in mesolimbic pathways (fALFF + 23%, p-FDR < 0.05). Impaired fronto–striatal connectivity (r = −0.58 with BMI, 95% CI [−0.67, −0.49]). 3. Interventional reversibility: Bariatric surgery restored prefrontal activation (Δ = +18% vs. controls, p = 0.002). Neurostimulation (transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) enhanced cognitive control (post-treatment β = 0.42, p = 0.009). Conclusion: 1. Obesity induces multidomain neural reorganization beyond traditional reward circuits. 2. Neuroimaging biomarkers (e.g., striatal PET-dopamine binding potential) predict intervention outcomes (AUC = 0.79). 3. Precision neuromodulation requires tripartite integration of structural guidance, functional monitoring, and molecular profiling. Findings highlight neuroimaging’s pivotal role in developing stage-specific therapeutic strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of MRI in Brain Diseases)
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