Age-associated alterations of brain networks using dynamic ASL

Motivation: Motion may affect age-related discrepancy in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in BOLD imaging studies. Dynamic arterial spin labeling (DASL) offers an alternative, detecting large-scale network rsFC with fewer motion artifacts. However, the aging effects on DASL rsFC remain unexplored. Goal(s): We examined how brain networks evolve with age using DASL. Approach: We used a data-driven approach to measure rsFC within and between brain networks in 131 adults. Results: Older age correlated with reduced intra-network rsFC in the ventral stream (VSN), sensorimotor, left frontoparietal (LFPN), right frontoparietal, default mode (DMN), salience (SN), and frontal networks, and decreased inter-network rsFC between LFPN-SN, VSN-SN, and DMN-SN. Impact: The rsFC of DASL may offer additional knowledge about the aging brain in the healthy adults and increase our insight into the neural basis of neurodegenerative disease.