In vivo Multi-Parameter Mapping of the Habenula using MRI

The habenula has attracted much interest in neuroscience studies because it plays an important role in the reward circuitry of the brain and is implicated in psychiatric conditions. However, imaging the habenula remains challenging due to its sub-cortical location and small size, with few reports analysing its microstructural composition in vivo. To address this gap in the literature, we performed a multi-parametric characterisation of the microstructure of the habenula by quantifying relaxation rates (R1, R2*), water content (PD) and a marker of macromolecular content (MTsat), most notably myelin, in a cohort of 20 healthy participants.