Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Anaemia and the brain.

Gregory M T Hare1

  • 1Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. hareg@smh.toronto.on.ca

Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
|October 7, 2006
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Differential effects of phenylephrine on brain versus skeletal muscle microvascular perfusion: an in vivo laboratory study using translational rodent models.

Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie·2026
Same author

Transfusion in Anemic Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

The Canadian journal of cardiology·2024
Same author

Cardiomyocyte crosstalk with endothelium modulates cardiac structure, function, and ischemia-reperfusion injury susceptibility through erythropoietin.

Frontiers in physiology·2024
Same author

Anemia and outcomes in cardiac surgery.

Brazilian journal of anesthesiology (Elsevier)·2024
Same author

Bilateral nephrectomy impairs cardiovascular function and cerebral perfusion in a rat model of acute hemodilutional anemia.

Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)·2024
Same author

Novel roles of cardiac-derived erythropoietin in cardiac development and function.

Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology·2024
Same journal

Phrenic-sparing strategies for shoulder surgery: balancing respiratory safety and block completeness.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

The evolution of nonoperating room anesthesia: navigating a new frontier.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Enhanced recovery pathways for patients with chronic pain: beyond standard protocols - a narrative review.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Novel technologies and innovations in postoperative follow-up after regional anesthesia.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Regional anaesthesia and analgesia in surgical patients with chronic preoperative pain: mechanisms, evidence, and clinical implications.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Retention in pain care and research: a narrative review focused on implanted medical devices.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
See all related articles

Anaemia can harm the brain through hypoxia, leading to dysfunction and injury. Increased cerebral blood flow during anaemia may be a protective mechanism to prevent hypoxic brain injury.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Hematology

Background:

  • Severe anaemia is linked to cognitive dysfunction, impaired cerebral regulation, and neurological injury.
  • The brain's vulnerability to anaemia-induced damage is evident from these associations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the physiological and pathophysiological effects of anaemia on the brain.
  • To examine the hypothesis that anaemia-induced cerebral hypoxia causes dysfunction and injury.
  • To evaluate evidence for increased cerebral blood flow as a neuroprotective mechanism.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on anaemia and brain effects.
  • Analysis of studies measuring cerebral tissue oxygen tension.
  • Examination of gene expression related to hypoxia in the brain.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Reduced cerebral oxygen tension occurs at haemoglobin levels around 35 g/l.
  • Hypoxic cerebral gene expression, like neuronal nitric oxide synthase, indicates hypoxia at higher haemoglobin levels (50-60 g/l) in rats.
  • Mechanisms of anaemic cerebral vasodilation and oxygen delivery need further study.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding anaemia-induced brain injury mechanisms is key for developing therapeutic strategies.
  • Defining transfusion triggers based on physiological endpoints is crucial.
  • Minimizing anaemia-related morbidity and mortality is the ultimate goal.