Have a Coke and a Smile: Sweet Insights into Brain Glucose Dynamics with SLOW-EPSI

Motivation: Accurate, non-invasive monitoring of glucose in the human brain is needed to better understand metabolic responses to dietary intake without the complexity and cost of labeled tracers. Goal(s): To evaluate the capability of 1H-SLOW-EPSI with outer volume suppression for monitoring dynamic changes in brain glucose after ingestion of common beverages. Approach: A single subject was scanned using a 7T MR scanner after consuming different beverages. Brain glucose levels were measured over time using SLOW-EPSI. Results: SLOW-EPSI effectively monitored glucose level variations, with distinct patterns observed depending on the beverage type, particularly for glucose-rich versus glucose-free drinks. Impact: This method offers a practical approach to monitor brain glucose dynamics, supporting nutritional research and enhancing understanding of how dietary intake influences brain metabolism, with potential implications for studies on diabetes and other metabolic disorders.