The Relationship Between Cognition and Cerebrovascular Reactivity: Implications for Task-Based fMRI

Frontiers in Physics

Erin L. Mazerolle¹  G. Bruce Pike²  Rebecca J. Williams²  M. Ethan MacDonald³ 

[1] Department of Psychology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS, Canada;Department of Radiology, Clinical Neuroscience and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada;Department of Radiology, Clinical Neuroscience and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada;Department of Electrical and Software Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada;

关键词: functional magnetic resonance imaging;    cerebrovascular reactivity;    cognition;    aging;    caffeine;    multiple sclerois;    Moyamoya;    small vessel disease;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fphy.2021.645249

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Elucidating the brain regions and networks associated with cognitive processes has been the mainstay of task-based fMRI, under the assumption that BOLD signals are uncompromised by vascular function. This is despite the plethora of research highlighting BOLD modulations due to vascular changes induced by disease, drugs, and aging. On the other hand, BOLD fMRI-based assessment of cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is often used as an indicator of the brain's vascular health and has been shown to be strongly associated with cognitive function. This review paper considers the relationship between BOLD-based assessments of CVR, cognition and task-based fMRI. How the BOLD response reflects both CVR and neural activity, and how findings of altered CVR in disease and in normal physiology are associated with cognition and BOLD signal changes are discussed. These are pertinent considerations for fMRI applications aiming to understand the biological basis of cognition. Therefore, a discussion of how the acquisition of BOLD-based CVR can enhance our ability to map human brain function, with limitations and potential future directions, is presented.

【 授权许可】

CC BY