Abstract
There are multiple magnet resonance imaging (MRI) based approaches to studying the ageing brain. Getting older affects both the structure of the brain and our cognitive capabilities but there is still no solid evidence on how ageing influences the mechanisms underlying the MRI signal. Here, we apply a recently developed long-range zero-quantum coherence (ZQC) weighted MRI sequence that was found to be sensitive to wakefulness. We found that the complexity of the signal time curve is also affected by age. While comparing young and old participants, we found qualitative and quantitative evidence that the dynamics of these quantum fluctuations undergo strong changes with age. Finally, we study how differences in long-range ZQC relate with measures from different cognitive batteries, suggesting that long-range ZQC may be key for cerebral dynamics and cognitive functioning. The profound sensitivity for dynamic changes shows the potential of long-range ZQC and its underlying physiological mechanism with clinical relevance for all neurovascular diseases.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.