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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Visualizing Impairment of the Endothelial and Glial Barriers of the Neurovascular Unit during Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis In Vivo

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The neurovascular unit in brain function and disease.

C Lecrux¹, E Hamel

¹Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.

Acta Physiologica (Oxford, England)

|January 29, 2011

Summary

Neurovascular coupling precisely matches brain blood flow to neuronal activity, crucial for interpreting brain imaging. Recent research highlights neuron-astrocyte-vessel interactions and their dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cerebrovascular Physiology
Neuroimaging

Background:

Neurovascular coupling (functional hyperaemia) describes the brain's ability to adjust blood supply to meet neuronal energy demands.
This process is fundamental to neuroimaging techniques like fMRI and PET, used to map brain activity.
Understanding neurovascular coupling is vital for accurate interpretation of these imaging signals.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent in vivo findings on the cellular network and mediators of cortical neurovascular coupling.
To highlight the roles of neurons and astrocytes in regulating haemodynamic responses.
To discuss alterations in neurovascular function observed in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease.

Main Methods:

Review of recent in vivo studies focusing on cortical neurovascular coupling.
Analysis of cellular interactions within the neurovascular unit (neurons, astrocytes, cerebral vessels).
Examination of mediators involved in haemodynamic changes and their roles.

Main Results:

Recent findings emphasize the complex interplay between excitatory and inhibitory neurons in neurovascular coupling.
Astrocytes play a crucial intermediary role, bridging communication between neurons and microvessels.
Neurovascular dysfunction is implicated in neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease.

Conclusions:

Neurovascular coupling is a sophisticated process involving intricate cellular communication within the neurovascular unit.
Astrocytes are key players, facilitating the precise regulation of cerebral blood flow.
Dysregulation of neurovascular coupling contributes to pathologies observed in neurodegenerative diseases, necessitating further research.