Dual-calibrated fMRI (dc-fMRI) relies on the simultaneous acquisition of BOLD and ASL during a respiratory challenge to quantitatively map cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) and effective oxygen diffusivity (D). Here, we use this method to investigate alterations in brain physiology in patients with multiple sclerosis (and matched healthy participants), demonstrating significant reductions in CBF and CMRO2 per unit of remaining grey matter in patients. We suggest that this method not only provides novel markers of tissue dysfunction, it also extends the methodological armamentarium for non-invasive investigation of brain pathophysiology in disease.
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