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Updated: Oct 1, 2026
MRI Mapping of Cerebrovascular Reactivity via Gas Inhalation Challenges
Published on: December 17, 2014
Chronic cocaine exposure alters carbon dioxide reactivity but does not affect cerebral blood flow autoregulation in
Christopher M Bernards1, Alan Artru, Elizabeth Visco
1Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-6540, USA. chrisb@u.washington.edu
Background:
Cocaine use is common in trauma victims. Consequently, understanding how cocaine alters normal physiology is important to providing appropriate medical care for these patients. This study was designed to identify how chronic cocaine exposure alters cerebrovascular physiology.
Methods:
Ten dogs (seven experimental, three control) were studied. Transcranial Doppler was used to measure CO2 reactivity and autoregulation of cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFvel). Measurements were made in anesthetized animals (0.6% or 1.8% isoflurane in oxygen and intravenous fentanyl) at baseline before cocaine exposure and then at weekly intervals for 4 weeks. During the 4-week study period, cocaine was administered intravenously four times per day.
Results:
Cocaine did not alter autoregulation of CBFvel in response to changes in mean arterial pressure. However, cocaine markedly impaired CO2 reactivity in three of the seven animals. In this subset of animals, increasing Paco2 decreased CBFvel, which is consistent with vasoconstriction rather than vasodilation.
Conclusion:
Chronic cocaine exposure does not alter autoregulation of CBFvel but does alter CO2 reactivity in a subset of susceptible animals. If confirmed in humans, these findings have implications for traumatic brain injury patients who are chronic cocaine users. Specifically, the findings suggest that hyperventilation could exacerbate intracranial hypertension in a subset of these patients.
