Keywords: fMRI Analysis, fMRI (task based), Working Memory, Brain Functional Connectivity, Neuroreceptors
Motivation: Task-based fMRI studies highlighted the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) involvement during working memory (WM) processes. However, BOLD fMRI indirectly estimates neural activity and lacks neuroreceptor specificity.
Goal(s): We investigated inhibitory and excitatory receptor density influence on functional connectivity (FC) during varying WM loads.
Approach: Using N-back fMRI tasks and Receptor-Enriched Analysis of Functional Connectivity by Targets (REACT), we assessed GABA-A and mGluR5 connectivity effects.
Results: We found decreased GABA-A- and increased mGluR5-enriched FC with increasing WM load in networks involving the dlPFC, in line with fMRI and single-voxel MRS studies. Therefore, REACT is a promising tool bridging whole-brain molecular organization and FC.
Impact: Our molecular-enriched fMRI analysis revealed how varying working memory load modulates functional connectivity related to the underlying neurotransmitters. This provides crucial information for a better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying brain disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and Schizophrenia.
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