MRI techniques for assessing brain mechanics and injury

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of brain mechanics and the pathological processes underlying traumatic and degenerative injuries. In recent years, progress in MRI-based techniques, such as magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), diffusion MRI (dMRI), and functional MRI (fMRI), has expanded our capacity to quantify brain tissue stiffness, microstructural organization, and functional connectivity. Despite these developments, the biophysical interpretation of imaging markers, their sensitivity to early mechanical abnormalities, and the translation of these measurements from research to clinical practice remain limited. Current debates in the field center on how to standardize MRI-based mechanical metrics, link them to histopathological changes, and integrate multimodal data to identify early signatures of injury progression. Therefore, there is a growing need to refine imaging methodologies, validate computational models, and enhance interdisciplinary collaboration between neuroimaging, biomechanics, and neurology.This Research Topic aims to consolidate emerging knowledge across MRI-based techniques that capture the mechanical and structural responses of the brain to injury. It seeks to explore how mechanical alterations relate to neuronal damage, functional impairment, and recovery. Specific objectives include establishing reliable imaging biomarkers for brain stiffness and deformation, understanding regional differences in mechanical susceptibility, and evaluating MRI-based measures as predictors of clinical outcomes in mild and severe injuries. The Topic will also highlight methodological innovations that improve spatial resolution, temporal sensitivity, and cross-modality integration in brain mechanics assessment.To gather further insights into state-of-the-art imaging of brain mechanics and its clinical implications, we welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Development and optimization of MRI-based methods for quantifying brain tissue mechanicso Advances in magnetic resonance elastography and diffusion imaging for assessing injuryo Computational modeling and inverse problem-solving for brain deformation analysiso Correlation between MRI-derived mechanical properties and histopathology or behavioro Longitudinal studies tracking mechanical changes during injury and recoveryo Translational applications of MRI-based biomechanics in clinical decision-makingo Machine learning and data fusion approaches for multimodal brain injury assessment Topic editors: Oscar Arias-Carrión, Benito de Celis Alonso Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82276/mri-techniques-for-assessing-brain-mechanics-and-injury