- Haemodynamic response
Haemodynamics is a medical term for the dynamic regulation of the blood flow in the brain. It is the principle on whichfunctional magnetic resonance imaging is based.Neuron s, like all other cells, require energy to function. This energy is supplied in the form ofglucose andoxygen (theoxygen being carried inhaemoglobin ). The blood supply of the brain is dynamically regulated to give active neural assemblies more energy whilst inactive assemblies receive less energy [cite book
last = Siesjo
first = Bo K.
authorlink = Bo K. Siesjo
title = Brain Energy Metabolism
publisher = Wiley
date = 1978
location = New York
pages = 612
id = 0 471 99515 0 ] .Molecular biology of hemodynamic regulation
The precise mechanism behind neurovascular coupling is currently under active research and furious debate, but roughly the following model has gained consensus:
# Active excitatoryneuron s release the neurotransmitterglutamate
#Glutamate opensNMDA receptors on other neurons which allowscalcium ions into the neuron
## Calcium activatesnitric oxide synthase which producesnitric oxide
## Nitric oxide diffuses out and dilatessmooth muscle surrounding localarteriole s
## This dilation allows more blood into the local capillaries
## Hence moreoxygen andglucose reaches the neurons [cite journal
last = Stefanovic
first = Bojano J.
authorlink = David J Rossi
coauthors = Wolfram Schwindt, Mathias Hoehn and Afonso C Silva
title = Functional uncoupling of hemodynamic from neuronal response by inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase
journal = Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism
volume = 27
pages = 741–754
date = 2007
url = http://www.nature.com/jcbfm/journal/v27/n4/full/9600377a.html
doi = 10.1038/sj.jcbfm.9600377
accessdate = 2007-05-22 ]
#Glutamate also binds to themetabotropic glutamate receptor onastrocytes
## This allow calcium into theastrocyte
## Which activatesphospholipase A2 (PLA2)
## Which producesarachidonic acid (AA)
## Which is converted bycyclo-oxygenase
## IntoPGE2 and released through the astrocytic endfeet
## Which dilates localsmooth muscle and allows greater blood flow [cite journal
last = Rossi
first = David J
authorlink = David J Rossi
title = Another BOLD role for astrocytes: coupling blood flow to neural activity
journal = Nature Neuroscience
volume = 9
pages = 159–161
date = 2006
url = http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v9/n2/full/nn0206-159.html
doi = 10.1038/nn0206-159
accessdate = 2007-05-22 ]References
External links
* [http://www.loni.ucla.edu/SVG/index.php?vid=261 An animation of neurovascular coupling]
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