Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has recently emerged as a reliable, high-resolution, and especially sensitive technique that can noninvasively characterize tissue biomechanical properties (i.e., viscoelasticity) in vivo in the living human brain.  In this article, we detail how progress in brain MRE technology has provided unique insights into healthy brain aging, neurodegeneration, and structure-function relationships.  We further discuss additional promising technical innovations that will enhance the specificity and sensitivity for brain MRE to reveal considerably more about brain aging as well as its potentially valuable role as an imaging biomarker of neurodegeneration.  MRE sensitivity may be particularly useful for assessing the efficacy of rehabilitation strategies, assisting in differentiating between dementia subtypes, and in understanding the causal mechanisms of disease which may lead to eventual pharmacotherapeutic development.
MRE
Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has recently emerged as a reliable, high-resolution, and especially sensitive technique that can noninvasively characterize tissue biomechanical properties (i.e., viscoelasticity) in vivo in the living human brain.  In this article, we detail how progress in brain MRE technology has provided unique insights into healthy brain aging, neurodegeneration, and structure-function relationships.  We further discuss additional promising technical innovations that will enhance the specificity and sensitivity for brain MRE to reveal considerably more about brain aging as well as its potentially valuable role as an imaging biomarker of neurodegeneration.  MRE sensitivity may be particularly useful for assessing the efficacy of rehabilitation strategies, assisting in differentiating between dementia subtypes, and in understanding the causal mechanisms of disease which may lead to eventual pharmacotherapeutic development.
MRE
Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has recently emerged as a reliable, high-resolution, and especially sensitive technique that can noninvasively characterize tissue biomechanical properties (i.e., viscoelasticity) in vivo in the living human brain.  In this article, we detail how progress in brain MRE technology has provided unique insights into healthy brain aging, neurodegeneration, and structure-function relationships.  We further discuss additional promising technical innovations that will enhance the specificity and sensitivity for brain MRE to reveal considerably more about brain aging as well as its potentially valuable role as an imaging biomarker of neurodegeneration.  MRE sensitivity may be particularly useful for assessing the efficacy of rehabilitation strategies, assisting in differentiating between dementia subtypes, and in understanding the causal mechanisms of disease which may lead to eventual pharmacotherapeutic development.
MRE