Characterizing Spatial Associations Between GluCEST MRI and Neurotransmitter Receptor Density in the Human Cortex.

ABSTRACT: Glutamate-weighted Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (GluCEST) captures in vivo glutamate (Glu) levels with high spatial resolution and has been used to assess glutamatergic function in healthy and clinical populations. While GluCEST is well-validated against proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS), its correspondence with local expression of glutamatergic neurotransmitter receptors remains unclear. Recent initiatives, such as Neuromaps, have collated positron emission tomography (PET) data into curated, publicly available databases, providing a novel opportunity to establish convergence in the regional distribution of GluCEST and normative receptor density maps. Here, we examine the spatial correspondence between GluCEST signal and PET-based cortical receptor densit

SUBMITTER: Pecsok MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12728121 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature