Age-related differences in macromolecular resonances observed in ultra-short-TE STEAM MR spectra at 7 T

Motivation: Macromolecular signals mainly originate from amino-acids within flexible cytosolic proteins, contributing to 1H-MR spectra. Previous studies have yielded inconsistent results regarding age-related differences in macromolecular resonances. Goal(s): To investigate the macromolecular content across a wide age range in a large cohort of healthy participants. Approach: Spectroscopy data were acquired at 7 T. The macromolecular content was investigated in 134 datasets from a cohort ranging in age from 19 to 89 years. Results: Age-related effects were observed for macromolecular peaks. Some macromolecular resonances had significantly higher content at 30-40 years of age while others at 60-70 years of age. Impact: Our findings strengthen the necessity of using age-matched measured macromolecules during quantification of metabolite concentrations. The ability to detect differences in macromolecular content may be helpful for understanding the neurodegenerative processes associated with aging.