Keywords: Adolescents, Brain
Motivation: Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) sensitively captures structural changes in the brain. However, application of this technique has been limited to cross-sectional studies in adolescents.
Goal(s): Our aim was to examine, for the first time, longitudinal changes in MRE-derived brain tissue mechanical properties during adolescence.
Approach: Shear stiffness and damping ratio were calculated for 14 adolescents during two study visits separated by a year.
Results: Stiffness significantly decreased over one year. The largest stiffness declines were in subcortical gray matter, in agreement with cross-sectional studies. Changes in both shear stiffness and damping ratio were correlated with progression of puberty.
Impact: This longitudinal study found wide-spread softening of brain tissue during adolescence, supporting cross-sectional findings. These changes were also correlated with the progression of puberty. This confirms the sensitivity of mechanical properties to capture structural changes of brain maturation.
How to access this content:
For one year after publication, abstracts and videos are only open to registrants of this annual meeting. Registrants should use their existing login information. Non-registrant access can be purchased via the ISMRM E-Library.
After one year, current ISMRM & ISMRT members get free access to both the abstracts and videos. Non-members and non-registrants must purchase access via the ISMRM E-Library.
After two years, the meeting proceedings (abstracts) are opened to the public and require no login information. Videos remain behind password for access by members, registrants and E-Library customers.
Keywords