Age dependency of neurometabolite T relaxation times

Authors

• Saipavitra Murali-Manohar, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Helge J. Zöllner, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Kathleen E. Hupfeld, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Yulu Song, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Emily E. Carter, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
• Vivek Yedavalli, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Steve C. Hui, Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
• Dunja Simicic, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Aaron T. Gudmundson, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Gizeaddis Lamesgin Simegn, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Christopher W. Davies-Jenkins, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Georg Oeltzschner, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Eric C. Porges, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
• Richard A. Edden, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

4-14-2025

Journal

Magnetic resonance in medicine

DOI

10.1002/mrm.30507

Keywords

T1 relaxation times; healthy aging; inversion recovery; magnetic resonance spectroscopy; metabolites

Abstract

PURPOSE: To measure T relaxation times of metabolites at 3 T in a healthy aging population and investigate age dependence. METHODS: A cohort of 101 healthy adults was recruited with approximately 10 male and 10 female participants in each "decade" band: 18 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, and 60+ years old. Inversion-recovery PRESS data (TE/TR: 30/2000 ms) were acquired at 8 inversion times (TIs) (300, 400, 511, 637, 780, 947, 1148, and 1400 ms) from voxels in white-matter-rich centrum semiovale (CSO) and gray-matter-rich posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Modeling of TI-series spectra was performed in Osprey 2.5.0. Quantified metabolite amplitudes for total N-acetylaspartate (tNAA), total creatine at 3.0 ppm (tCr), and 3.9 ppm (tCr), total choline (tCho), myo-inositol (mI), and the sum of glutamine and glutamate (Glx) were modeled to calculate T relaxation times of metabolites. RESULTS: T relaxation times of tNAA in CSO and tNAA, tCr, mI, and Glx in PCC decreased with age. These correlations remained significant when controlling for cortical atrophy. T relaxation times were significantly different between PCC and CSO for all metabolites except tCr. We also propose linear models for predicting metabolite Ts at 3 T to be used in future aging studies. CONCLUSION: Metabolite T relaxation times change significantly with age, an effect that will be important to consider for accurate quantitative MRS, particularly in studies of aging.

APA Citation

Murali-Manohar, Saipavitra; Zöllner, Helge J.; Hupfeld, Kathleen E.; Song, Yulu; Carter, Emily E.; Yedavalli, Vivek; Hui, Steve C.; Simicic, Dunja; Gudmundson, Aaron T.; Simegn, Gizeaddis Lamesgin; Davies-Jenkins, Christopher W.; Oeltzschner, Georg; Porges, Eric C.; and Edden, Richard A., "Age dependency of neurometabolite T relaxation times" (2025). GW Authored Works. Paper 7059.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/7059

Department

Radiology