JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments
Neuroscience
0 views • 3:47 min • August 29th, 2025
Take an anesthetized rat with deep brain stimulation or DBS electrodes implanted in the medial prefrontal cortex.
Inject FDG, a radiolabeled glucose analog, through the lateral tail vein.
FDG crosses the blood-brain barrier via glucose transporters, and reaches the brain.
Prepare the stimulator setup in a quiet environment to minimize potentially disturbing stimuli.
Connect the stimulation wires to the electrodes.
Start DBS. High-frequency electrical pulses depolarize neuronal membranes, enhancing synaptic activity.
This increases neuronal ATP consumption, accelerating glucose metabolism to replenish ATP levels.
Enhanced glucose utilization increases FDG uptake in metabolically active neurons and glia, where it undergoes phosphorylation and accumulation.
Stop the stimulation. Capture PET and CT brain images and generate brain maps.
Increased FDG uptake indicates more active brain regions, while less active areas show lower uptake, revealing DBS-induced metabolic neuromodulation.
Fill a 27 gauge syringe with approximately 37 megabecquerel of the FDG solution in the least possible volume as measured in an activimeter. Place a heating pad under the animal's tail or use infrared light to dilate
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