Cerebrovascular Reactivity Development in Infants during the First Two Years of Life Using Resting-State BOLD Functional MRI

Motivation: There is no systematic research focused on the development of cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in infants. Goal(s): This study aims to investigate the early development of CVR with resting-state BOLD analysis. Approach: We mapped CVR from BCP dataset and fitted developmental trajectory from 1 to 24months. The relationship between CVR and cognitive abilities as well as its association with neurotransmitter receptors/transporters was also investigated. Results: Multiple brain regions showed significant age effect of CVR. CVR at the left superior frontal gyrus was associated with expressive language. GABAaR, mGluR5 and VAChT were found to be related to CVR development as well. Impact: We demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing resting-state BOLD to evaluate the development of CVR in infants, revealing the potential neurotransmitter receptors/transporters system involved. This approach offers a novel perspective on assessing cerebrovascular health in infants.