Functional Creatine Kinase Imaging (fCKI) for brain functional and metabolic imaging

Motivation: The creatine kinase (CK) reaction rate is essential for understanding brain function. More importantly CK rates have been shown to change in various neurological conditions, including psychiatric disorders. Goal(s): In this abstract a novel functional imaging modality is introduced called functional Creatine Kinase Imaging (fCKI). Approach: Participants are exposed to a visual paradigm during CKI acquisition. Results: fCKI reveals a 15% increase in CK enzyme reaction rate in the occipital lobe, consistent with prior findings. Additionally, fCKI provides, for the first time, a 3D activation map, with activation clusters predominantly located in the visual cortex. Impact: A novel functional modality, functional Creatine Kinase Imaging (fCKI) is introduced. fCKI reveals increased CK enzyme activity in the occipital lobe and, for the first time, a 3D activation-map, with activation clusters predominantly found in the visual cortex.