The three levels of structural nerve damage in the pathogenesis of diabetic polyneuropathy: defining therapeutic target markers using MR-Neurography (B05)

• Subject Area: Medical Physics, Biomedical Technology ; Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism ; Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience
• Term: from 2014 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 236360313

Using MR-guided microdissection with subsequent proteomic analyses and in vivo MR-Neurography, dysmyelination, exhausted detoxification of reative metabolites and an increase of intraneural fat deposits could be identified as critical pathophysiological processes driving diabetic polyneuropathy in human nervs. As a specific method to study such changes of the nervous microarchitecture in a clinical setting, we developed a diffusion-kurtosis MR-neurography. With these tools, we aim to 1) develop a more in-depth analysis of fresh tissue specimens and 2) establish them as new therapeutic target markers in the setting of therapeutic interventions such as surgical nerve decompression and bariatric surgery in the third funding period.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1118: Reactive metabolites as a cause of diabetes complications
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Martin Bendszus, until 6/2018; Professorin Dr. Sabine Heiland; Dr. Daniel Schwarz, since 7/2018