Relationship between topological efficiency in white matter structural networks with cerebral oxygen metabolism in...

The relationship between the topological characteristics of the white matter (WM) network have been shown to be related to neural development, intelligence, and various diseases; however, few studies have been conducted to explore the relationship between topological characteristics of the WM network and cerebral metabolism. In a recent study we investigated the relationship between WM network topological and metabolic metrics of the cerebral parenchyma in healthy volunteers using the newly developed T2-relaxation-under-spin-tagging (TRUST) magnetic resonance imaging technique and graph theory approaches. Ninety-six healthy adults (25.5 ± 1.8 years of age) were recruited as volunteers in the current study. The cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO₂), oxygen extraction fraction, and the global topological metrics of the WM network (global efficiency [E_glob], local efficiency, and small-worldliness) were assessed. A stepwise multiple linear regression model was estimated. CMRO₂ was entered as the dependent variable. The topological and demographic parameters (age, gender, FIQ, SBP, gray matter volume, and WM volume) were entered as independent variables in the model. The final performing models were comprised of predictors of E_glob, FIQ, and age (adjusted R² values were 0.489 [L-AAL] and 0.424 [H-1024]). Our study initially revealed a relationship between E_glob and cerebral oxygen metabolism in healthy young adults.