Language
English
Publication Date
1-1-2026
Journal
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
DOI
10.3389/fnagi.2026.1774543
PMID
41822298
PMCID
PMC12975896
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
2-25-2026
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Abstract
Normal aging leads to regional vascular and neural alterations. Age-related impairments in neurovascular coupling (NVC) affect the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) hemodynamic response function (HRF) measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging, causing changes in both amplitude and temporal dynamics. Previously, global, systematic age-related changes in HRF characteristics were demonstrated, consistent with known microvascular aging effects. In this follow-up study, a standard space was used to compare spatially resolved cortical HRF dynamics between sex-balanced groups of young and older adults. The results showed substantial age-related differences in both HRF amplitude and timing across distinct cortical regions. Nearly twice as much cortical area exhibited age-related alterations in amplitude compared with timing parameters, although the spatial patterns of these effects partially overlapped. Regional HRF changes aligned with known spatial patterns of vascular aging. Overall, the findings indicate that normal aging strongly affects NVC, particularly in areas supplied by major cerebral arteries and their watershed regions.
Keywords
aging, cerebral blood flow, cerebral cortex, functional magnetic resonance imaging, hemodynamic response function
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Nooshin J Fesharaki, Amanda Taylor, and David Ress, "Age-Related Variations of the Hemodynamic Response Function Spatially Resolved Across Human Cerebral Cortex" (2026). Faculty, Staff and Students Publications. 7255.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/7255