Age dependence of brain oxygen metabolism in adults assessed by 3D constrained quantitative BOLD MRI

differed between older vs younger subjects only in the amygdala (126.6 ± 35.9 vs 97.5 ± 31.6 μmol/min/100 g, P = 0.01). Exploring regional heterogeneity, MTL and its substructures exhibited reduced OEF relative to whole-brain averages in both groups. Overall findings indicate that cerebral oxygen metabolism remains largely preserved throughout adulthood. The combined qBOLD-ASL technique offers a robust framework for detecting regional variations in brain oxygen metabolism, characterizing both normative cerebrovascular aging and possibly early stages of neurodegeneration.