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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
Evaluation of Cerebral Blood Flow Autoregulation in the Rat Using Laser Doppler Flowmetry
Published on: January 19, 2020
Ambient cold air decreased nasal mucosa blood flow measured by laser Doppler flowmeter
Yueng-Hsiang Chu1, Da-Wen Lu, Hsing-Won Wang
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Background:
With its potentially conflicting physiological roles of both air-conditioning and body-heat recovery, the response of nasal mucosa blood flow (NMBF) to ambient cold air is not well understood.
Objective:
To evaluate the NMBF in response to cold ambient air.
Methods:
The NMBF was continuously measured by laser Doppler flowmetry in nine participants exposed to different air temperatures (24 degrees C and 4 degrees C).
Results:
The NMBF significantly decreased at 4 degrees C compared with that at 24 degrees C (p < 0.01).
Conclusion:
The response to ambient cold air in the nasal microcirculation is similar to that of the body-surface blood vessels, suggesting that body-heat recovery rather than air-conditioning is the predominant function.
