Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow

The control of cerebral blood flow is complex, and only beginning to be elucidated. Studies have identified three key regulatory paradigms. The first is cerebral pressure autoregulation, which maintains a constant flow in the face of changing cerebral perfusion pressure. Flow-metabolism coupling ref...

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Main Authors: Eric C. Peterson, Zhengfeng Wang, Gavin Britz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:International Journal of Vascular Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/823525
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author Eric C. Peterson
Zhengfeng Wang
Gavin Britz
author_facet Eric C. Peterson
Zhengfeng Wang
Gavin Britz
author_sort Eric C. Peterson
collection DOAJ
description The control of cerebral blood flow is complex, and only beginning to be elucidated. Studies have identified three key regulatory paradigms. The first is cerebral pressure autoregulation, which maintains a constant flow in the face of changing cerebral perfusion pressure. Flow-metabolism coupling refers to the brains ability to vary blood flow to match metabolic activity. An extensive arborization of perivascular nerves also serves to modulate cerebral blood flow, so-called neurogenic regulation. Central to these three paradigms are two cell types: endothelium and astrocytes. The endothelium produces several vasoactive factors that are germane to the regulation of cerebral blood flow: nitric oxide, endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization factor, the eicosanoids, and the endothelins. Astrocytic foot processes directly abut the blood vessels, and play a key role in regulation of cerebral blood flow. Lastly, new research has been investigating cell-cell communication at the microvascular level. Several lines of evidence point to the ability of the larger proximal vessels to coordinate vasomotor responses downstream.
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spelling doaj-art-d52af9d4cfd841aa9764d42be062b8c32025-08-20T03:19:42ZengWileyInternational Journal of Vascular Medicine2090-28242090-28322011-01-01201110.1155/2011/823525823525Regulation of Cerebral Blood FlowEric C. Peterson0Zhengfeng Wang1Gavin Britz2Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USADivision of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USADivision of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USAThe control of cerebral blood flow is complex, and only beginning to be elucidated. Studies have identified three key regulatory paradigms. The first is cerebral pressure autoregulation, which maintains a constant flow in the face of changing cerebral perfusion pressure. Flow-metabolism coupling refers to the brains ability to vary blood flow to match metabolic activity. An extensive arborization of perivascular nerves also serves to modulate cerebral blood flow, so-called neurogenic regulation. Central to these three paradigms are two cell types: endothelium and astrocytes. The endothelium produces several vasoactive factors that are germane to the regulation of cerebral blood flow: nitric oxide, endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization factor, the eicosanoids, and the endothelins. Astrocytic foot processes directly abut the blood vessels, and play a key role in regulation of cerebral blood flow. Lastly, new research has been investigating cell-cell communication at the microvascular level. Several lines of evidence point to the ability of the larger proximal vessels to coordinate vasomotor responses downstream.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/823525
spellingShingle Eric C. Peterson
Zhengfeng Wang
Gavin Britz
Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow
International Journal of Vascular Medicine
title Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow
title_full Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow
title_fullStr Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow
title_full_unstemmed Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow
title_short Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow
title_sort regulation of cerebral blood flow
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/823525
work_keys_str_mv AT ericcpeterson regulationofcerebralbloodflow
AT zhengfengwang regulationofcerebralbloodflow
AT gavinbritz regulationofcerebralbloodflow