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A Murine Model of Carotid Aneurysm Formation
Published on: September 9, 2025
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Microstructural modelling of cerebral aneurysm evolution through effective stress mediated destructive remodelling
Malikeh Nabaei1, Nasser Fatouraee1
1Biological Fluid Mechanics Research Laboratory, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), P.O. Box: 15875-3413, Tehran 15914, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Journal of Theoretical Biology
|March 25, 2014
Summary
This study presents a new biomechanical model for fusiform aneurysm development, linking blood flow with arterial wall changes like degradation and growth. The model predicts evolving microstructural properties, offering insights into aneurysm formation.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Cerebral aneurysms are a significant health concern.
- Biomechanical modeling is crucial for understanding aneurysm development.
- Existing models often lack detailed consideration of arterial wall dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel fluid-solid-growth model for fusiform aneurysm formation.
- To incorporate arterial wall degradation and growth mechanisms.
- To analyze the interplay between blood flow and vascular remodeling.
Main Methods:
- Developed an axi-symmetric fluid-solid-growth model for the internal carotid artery.
- Defined arterial wall as a living tissue capable of degradation, growth, and remodeling.
- Coupled blood flow dynamics with arterial wall mechanics.
- Modeled elastin degradation as a function of vascular wall effective stress, accounting for shear-dependent degradation and cellular activities.
Main Results:
- The model successfully simulated fusiform aneurysm formation.
- Elastin degradation was linked to vascular wall stress and cellular activities.
- The model achieved stable size and mechanical properties, consistent with clinical and computational studies.
- Predicted the evolving microstructural properties of the arterial wall during aneurysm development.
Conclusions:
- The presented model offers a comprehensive approach to simulating cerebral aneurysm development.
- It highlights the critical role of coupled fluid-structure interaction and active tissue remodeling.
- The findings provide valuable insights for predicting aneurysm progression and informing treatment strategies.
