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. 2024 Jul 24;14(1):17099.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-67866-1.

Predicting performance in attention by measuring key metabolites in the PCC with 7T MRS

M Collée  1   2 , R Rajkumar  1   2   3 , E Farrher  2 , J Hagen  1   2 , S Ramkiran  1   2 , G J Schnellbächer  1   2 , N Khudeish  1   2 , N J Shah  1   2   3   4   5 , T Veselinović  1   2   3 , I Neuner  6   7   8
Affiliations

Predicting performance in attention by measuring key metabolites in the PCC with 7T MRS

M Collée et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) is a key hub of the default mode network and is known to play an important role in attention. Using ultra-high field 7 Tesla magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to quantify neurometabolite concentrations, this exploratory study investigated the effect of the concentrations of myo-inositol (Myo-Ins), glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln), aspartate or aspartic acid (Asp) and gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) in the PCC on attention in forty-six healthy participants. Each participant underwent an MRS scan and cognitive testing, consisting of a trail-making test (TMT A/B) and a test of attentional performance. After a multiple regression analysis and bootstrapping for correction, the findings show that Myo-Ins and Asp significantly influence (p < 0.05) attentional tasks. On one hand, Myo-Ins shows it can improve the completion times of both TMT A and TMT B. On the other hand, an increase in aspartate leads to more mistakes in Go/No-go tasks and shows a trend towards enhancing reaction time in Go/No-go tasks and stability of alertness without signal. No significant (p > 0.05) influence of Glu, Gln and GABA was observed.

Keywords: 7T MRS; Aspartate; Attention; Cognition; GABA; Glutamate; Glutamine; Healthy; Inositol; Posterior cingulate cortex.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Example of an LCModel outcome. Top: a representative in vivo positioning of voxel of interest. Bottom: a H1 MRS spectrum from a 27-year-old woman.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Box plots of concentrations of measured metabolites in mM. With Glutamate having the highest concentrations and GABA the lowest.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scatterplots illustrating the relationship between cognitive performance and metabolite concentrations that were significant. Top: TMT A scores versus myo-inositol levels, Middle: TMT B scores versus myo-inositol levels, Bottom: Go/No-go mistakes versus aspartate levels. Each plot includes a regression line indicating the trend of the data.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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