Impact of Aging on Cerebrovascular and Metabolic Function: A Voxel-Wise Analysis of CBF, CVR, OEF, and CMRO₂ Using Dual-Calibrated fMRI

Motivation: Aging significantly impacts cerebrovascular and metabolic functions, potentially contributing to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Imaging biomarkers such as CBF, CVR, OEF, and CMRO₂ provide insight into these changes. Goal(s): To investigate age-related alterations in cerebrovascular and metabolic metrics using dual-calibrated fMRI. Approach: We employed dynamic PCASL with hyperoxic and hypercapnic gas challenges on young and elderly participants, using voxel-wise analysis to assess the effects of age on CBF, CBF-CVR, OEF, and CMRO₂. Results: Age-related global reductions in CBF and regional declines in CBF-CVR and CMRO₂ underscore the importance of multi-metric imaging in understanding cerebrovascular and metabolic aging. Impact: This study reveals age-related declines in global and regional cerebrovascular and metabolic metrics, providing critical insights into brain aging. These findings support the utility of multi-metric imaging for understanding mechanisms of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease progression.