Disentangling metabolic and neurovascular timescales supporting cognitive processes

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Saviola, Francesca; Tambalo, Stefano; Beghini, Laura; Ferrari, Asia; Cassone, Barbara; van de Ville, Dimitri; Jovicich, Jorge
• 署名单位: University of Trento; University of Brescia; Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology Domain; Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne; University of Turin; University of Turin; Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU); University of Brescia; University of Milano-Bicocca; University of Geneva
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-11430
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2506513122
• 发表日期: 2025-09-30
• 关键词: resonance-spectroscopy fmrs; edited mr spectroscopy; in-vivo; gaba concentration; prefrontal cortex; cerebral-cortex; reaction-time; glutamate; DYNAMICS; hyperexcitability

摘要

The balance between neural excitation and inhibition (EIB), governed by glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission, is an essential mechanism supporting cognitive processes. Yet, little is understood about how EIB shifts with engaging cognitive load and its impact on functional connectivity dynamics. Here, we combined time-resolved functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging to investigate temporal profiles of the reciprocal modulation between EIB and functional network dynamics during working memory tasks in healthy subjects. We quantified EIB kinetics by measuring excitatory (Glx) and inhibitory (GABA+) levels and assessed their temporal coupling with dynamic functional connectivity states, revealing a dependence that scales with cognitive load. Notably, we found that as cognitive challenges intensify, brain networks transition toward more specialized and enduring connectivity configurations, accompanied by imbalances that favor excitation, changes that may impact cognitive adaptability. Fluctuations in EIB and functional connectivity occurred on comparable timescales and were both associated with individual differences in cognitive performance. Importantly, this experimental approach demonstrates a close synergy between EIB kinetics, brain network dynamics, and cognitive performance, defining the groundwork for exploring healthy and aberrant cognitive states.