# TR&D 1: Quantitative brain MRS at 3T and 7T

> **NIH NIH P41** · HUGO W. MOSER RES INST KENNEDY KRIEGER · 2020 · $169,084

## Abstract

TR&D 1
 Quantitative MRS of the brain at 3T and 7T
 Principal investigators:
Peter B. Barker, D.Phil., Professor of Radiology and Oncology
 Richard Edden, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Radiology
SUMMARY
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) offers a unique, non-invasive way of studying human brain
metabolism and neurochemistry in vivo. Such measurements offer insights into the pathophysiology of
human disease, the study of brain function, as well as diagnostic and prognostic information in clinical
practice. The needs for new and improved MRS technology are driven by multiple collaborative projects,
ranging from the developing brain (i.e. pediatric applications such Autism spectrum disorder and
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) to neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer's disease (AD),
Huntington's disease), as well as brain tumors, HIV infection, and schizophrenia.
The use of high magnetic field strengths such as 7 Tesla is particularly beneficial for MRS; aim 1 of this
TR&D will therefore be focused on the development of quantitative methods for spectroscopic imaging
(MRSI) at 7T, with an emphasis on methods for rapid, high-resolution metabolite mapping with
extended brain coverage. We will focus on mapping of glutamate in the brain using MRSI, and compare
the results with those obtained from TR&D2 using novel exchange transfer imaging (ETI) techniques. In
recent years, there has been much interest in the measurement of the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter, GABA, in the human brain; this and other metabolites (such as glutathione and the
oncometabolite 2-hydroxygltarate) are best measured at 3 Tesla using spectral-editing techniques. Aim
2 of this proposal will focus on quantitative spectral-editing methods, with a particular emphasis of the
development of multi-voxel editing methods. Finally, aim 3 will develop quantitative MRS and MRSI
methods and post-processing software; the tools developed will be made available for dissemination to
the scientific community.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9997693
- **Project number:** 5P41EB015909-20
- **Recipient organization:** HUGO W. MOSER RES INST KENNEDY KRIEGER
- **Principal Investigator:** PETER B BARKER
- **Activity code:** P41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $169,084
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2000-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9997693

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9997693, TR&D 1: Quantitative brain MRS at 3T and 7T (5P41EB015909-20). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9997693. Licensed CC0.

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