Abstract #3221

The Relationship Between Neurotransmitter Levels, BOLD Changes and Neural Oscillations in Primary Motor Cortex.

Mary C. Stephenson¹, SoYoung Kim², Matthew J. Brookes¹, Steve Jackson², Peter G. Morris¹

¹School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom; ²School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

While functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is an extremely useful tool for investigating functional changes and connectivity in the brain, the exact mechanisms underlying the signal is unclear. In this study we have related stimulus induced (SI) BOLD changes to neural oscillations measured using magnetoencephalography, and neurotransmitter levels, measured using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We show that BOLD changes in M1 can be predicted by the amplitude of the post-movement &[beta]-rebound, and to the concentration of &[gamma]-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In addition we show that &[gamma]-band neural oscillations are related to both GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission, whereas &[beta]-band changes are GABAergic.