Characterizing Age- and Region-Dependent Macromolecule Signals in the Brain: A 7T 1H MRS Study

Motivation: Macromolecular (MM) signals overlap with metabolite signals and hinder accurate quantification of lower concentration metabolites, but MM content differences across age and brain region have remained elusive. Goal(s): This study assesses MM differences linked to specific brain regions and age by analyzing metabolite signals in the M1 and thalamus. Approach: We created age- and region-specific MM basis sets and evaluated quantification differences that arose from using matched and unmatched basis sets on the quantification of normal short-echo time spectra. Results: We found significant differences in metabolite quantification between young and older adults, emphasizing the importance of age-specific MM basis sets for accurate results. Impact: The research highlights the impact of age-related MM differences on metabolite quantification and emphasizes the need for tailored MM basis sets in spectroscopic studies.