title: Use of 3D pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling to characterize sex and age differences in cerebral blood flow.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study is to use 3D pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) to measure changes in normal cerebral blood flow (CBF) values with sex and age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging study on a 3.0-T scanner. 3D pCASL was used to measure CBF. Estradiol and testosterone levels were also assessed. Based on sex and age, the subjects were divided into four groups for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CBF was higher in young premenopausal women than in young men (P < 0.01), while there was no difference in CBF between older postmenopausal women and older men. CBF was also significantly decreased in older postmenopausal women compared with young women (P < 0.01), whereas no such age-related effect was present in men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations indicate that sex and age differences are important considerations when studying nervous system diseases and that the age range and female-to-male ratio should be considered in the selection of subjects for brain studies in order to eliminate bias. Further, the normal CBF values assessed by pCASL provide a basis for further clinical use of pCASL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA (People's Liberation Army) General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Wenjia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA (People's Liberation Army) General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, China. louxin301@gmail.com.|Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. louxin301@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA (People's Liberation Army) General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, China. cjr.malin@vip.163.com.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000465:Algorithms; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013113:Spin Labels
chemical_list: D013113:Spin Labels
keywords: Age; Arterial spin labeling; Cerebral blood flow; Sex