From Cognition to Depression: Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to Study In-vivo Neurochemistry
Lecture
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
From Cognition to Depression: Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to Study In-vivo Neurochemistry
Dr. Assaf Tal
Dept of Chemical & Biological Physics
Faculty of Chemistry, WIS
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) can be used to measure the in-vivo concentrations of several metabolites in the brain non-invasively. I will present our work using MRS to study two aspects of brain metabolism. First, I'll talk about our work on functional MRS, whereby we look at neurochemical changes during or after learning or function. In the second half of the talk, I will focus on new methods we're developing in the lab, and in particular on our ability to measure the thermal relaxation times of metabolites, which probe specific cellular and subcellular microenvironments. I will present some preliminary data showing where and how this could be useful.