Synopsis

Quantitative MRI (qMRI) techniques provide biophysical parametric measurements that are useful in the investigation and diagnosis of brain agingqMRI measurements display sensitivity to microstructural properties such as lipid and protein composition, iron content and cellular organization, therefore qMRI is termed in-vivo histology. I will present novel qMRI approaches for disentangling molecular composition of lipid and iron samples and identify region-specific molecular signatures across the brain and as function of aging. I will argue that the ability to disentangle molecular alterations from water-related changes opens the door to a more specific characterization of age-realted neurodegenerative disorder in-vivo.