Study of brain function and bioenergetics using fMRI and in vivo MRS at high fields

The greatest merit of magnetic resonance (MR) methodology applied to medicine is its capabilities of measuring a variety of physiological parameters in vivo. MR imaging (MRI) with unique imaging contrasts can provide vital information which tightly links to brain functions at both normal and diseased states. In contrast, in vivo MR spectroscopy (MRS) is capable of determining metabolites, bioenergetics and chemical reaction rates in brain noninvasively. These capabilities are further enhanced at high/ultrahigh magnetic fields because of significant gain in MR sensitivity and improvements in the spectral resolution of MRS and imaging contrasts. However, MR research also faces many technical challenges which have attracted many scientists from interdisciplinary research backgrounds to find the optimal solutions. Recent progresses in this research field have showed great promise of MRI/MRS for studying brain function, physiology, and neurochemistry. This talk will discuss the developed MR technologies and their applications in brain study at high fields.