Clinical Research Studies

The purpose of this study is to investigate a new method of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that could provide new information about the brain structure (gray and white matter) and its metabolism (how brain cells work). This technique could help improve our understanding of the human brain, and help researchers find new ways to treat and prevent brain disorders. MRI is a technique that provides images from inside the body (the head in this study) based on the magnetic properties of the tissues in the body. Traditional MRI machines create images of the human body by detecting the protons found in water molecules that are present in the body. This study will combine traditional proton MRI with a new technique called sodium MRI, which can detect the sodium atoms found in the salt molecules in the body. The idea is that by combining structural (from proton/water MRI) and metabolic (from sodium/salt MRI) imaging, and comparing the images of healthy subjects and subjects with chronic steno-occlusive disease and with recurrent transient ischemic attacks (TIA)/minor stroke, the study may gain insights which could help the doctors who treat patients with brain disorders make better treatment decisions. The imaging methods being evaluated are considered investigational, and some of the equipment used to obtain the images has not received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). .