MRI was performed on a Bruker Biospec 7T/30 cm system equipped with an inserted gradient coil (121 mm ID, 400mT/m) and a 72 mm birdcage resonator. A surface coil was used for brain imaging. The scanning protocol consisted of a RARE T1 weighted scan [effective TE (echo time) 9 ms, TR (repetition time) 8000 ms, 20 averages, matrix 176 × 176, FOV (field of view) 17.6 × 17.6 mm, 20 contiguous coronal slices of 0.4 mm thickness). Following the RARE T1 weighted scan 0.1 mL of a solution containing 50 μL gadolinium-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (Gd-DPTA Magnevist®; Bayer) and 50 μL of sterile water was injected via the tail vein cannula. Five minutes later the T1 weighted scan was repeated. Gd-DTPA cannot readily cross the intact blood brain barrier due to its charge and high molecular weight . Extravasation of Gd-DTPA observed within the parenchyma demonstrates an impairment of the BBB integrity. A RARE T2 weighted scan (effective TE 76 ms, TR 5362 ms, 25 averages, matrix 176 × 176, FOV 17.6 × 17.6 mm, 20 contiguous coronal slices of 0.4 mm thickness) was then performed. On completion of the scan the animals were allowed to recover from anesthesia and the scanning procedure repeated at the next time-point.