Assessing cerebrovascular integrity with hypercapnia and a joint CBF and BOLD sequence (M2-PCASL): a comparison of healthy young and old cohorts.

Motivation: Cerebrovascular disruptions are associated with Alzheimer’s Dementia and can precede cognitive decline; therefore, studying the progression of cerebrovascular dysfunction in healthy aging versus cognitive decline is a promising opportunity for early therapeutic interventions. Goal(s): In this study, we aimed to determine if there were differences in cerebrovascular health metrics between young and old healthy cohorts. Approach: Using a novel MR pulse sequence, we quantified cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), resting state blood-oxygen level dependent signal (BOLD), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in both cohorts. Results: We found an age-dependent decrease in CBF and BOLD CVR. Impact: Age related changes in cerebrovascular health metrics assessed by quantitative MRI methods can help us characterize differences between healthy aging and cognitive decline thus offering unique opportunities for early therapeutic interventions in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's dementia.