In vivo voxel based morphometry: Detection of increased hippocampal volume and decreased glutamate levels in exercising mice

► Development of a fully automatic segmentation for in vivo mouse 3D data. ► Combination of 1H MRS VBM and spectroscopy in voluntary exercising and sedentary mice. ► Increase of hippocampal volume after voluntary wheel running detected with VBM. ► Decrease of spectroscopic glutamate concentrations in the hippocampus of running mice. ► Negative correlation between hippocampal glutamate concentrations and volume.