In a Search of Pressure Which Optimizes Autoregulation of Cerebral Blood Flow

This article demonstrates the use of laser Doppler flowmetry to evaluate the ability of the cerebral circulation to autoregulate its blood flow during reductions in arterial blood...

Cerebral perfusion is maintained across a range of pressures via cerebral autoregulation. However, characterizing autoregulation requires prominent pressure fluctuations at regulated frequencies. The described protocol will show how oscillatory lower body negative pressure can generate pressure fluctuations to provide data for projection pursuit regression for quantification of the autoregulatory...

Autoregulation mechanisms are characterized by their inherent capacity for self-regulation without necessitating specific nervous stimulation or endocrine control. These mechanisms facilitate the adjustment of blood flow and, therefore, perfusion specific to each tissue region. This self-regulation encompasses chemical signals and myogenic controls.
Chemical Signaling in Autoregulation
Chemical signaling operates at the precapillary sphincter level, inciting either contraction or relaxation....

Functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound complements other functional imaging modalities, with its high temporal resolution measurement of stimulus-induced changes in cerebral blood flow within the basal cerebral arteries. This Methods paper gives step-by-step instructions for using functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound to perform a functional imaging...

Source: Tan, Z., et al., Construction and Application of Cerebral Functional Region-Based Cerebral Blood Flow Atlas Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Arterial Spin Labeling. J. Vis. Exp. (2024).This video demonstrates the method to construct a cerebral blood flow atlas by integrating magnetic resonance imaging or MRI-arterial spin labeling data with segmented brain regions, visualizing blood flow patterns, and quantifying flow levels across functional...

Source: Hage, B. D. et. al., Functional Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound for Monitoring Cerebral Blood Flow. J. Vis. Exp. (2021) This video demonstrates the use of Doppler ultrasound as a functional imaging tool to measure cerebral blood flow velocity, or CBFV in real time. It highlights how frequency shifts in the middle cerebral artery during tasks like breath-holding reveal changes in CBFV, offering insights into brain activity and vascular...