Neuro 5: Regulation of blood flow (BBB) Flashcards
T/F: the brain has highest o2 consumption in body
False- kidney is higher. brain 3 ml 02/min per 100g , kidney 5ml o2/min per 100g
What is the blood flow to the brain not o2 but blood flow
55ml/100g tissue/minute
What % is the brain of: body weight, cardiac output, o2 consumption
Weight: 2%, CO: 15%, o2 consumption: 20%
Conseuquences of blood flow being reduced by more than 50%
Insufficient o2 delivery and impaired function
t/f 10 seconds of Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) interruption will result in unconsciousness
t: in fact, it only takes 4 seconds of interrupted CBF f ro unconsciousness, and after a few minutes tissue damange
What is syncope and what are the causes
Fainting due to inadequate CBF
Low BP, postural changes, vaso-vagal attack, sudden pain, emotional shock. All result in temporary reduction of CBF.
What % of body’s glucose does brain use
60%
Why is glucose vital to brain
It can’t store or sythesise or utilise any other energy source except ketone bodies in starvation
Signs of hypoglycaemia
Disorietation, slurred speech and impaired motor function
What is dangerously low glucose level
Below 2mM can cause unconsciousness, coma and death. Normal fasting levels are 4mM-6mM
Overall, how is cerebral blood flow regulated
By:
Mechanisms affecting TOTAL cerebral flow
Mechanisms relating activity to the requirement in specific brain regions by altering LOCALISED blood flow
You need to maintain so the blood has access to glucose and o2
How is total cerebral flow regulated (one of the two factors affecting CBF)
What is the effect of not enough overall blood flow to the brain
What is the effect of too much overall blood flow to the brain
AUTOREGULATION between MABP 60 and 160mmHg.
Stretch sensitive cerebral vascular smooth muscle:
- CONTRACTS at high BP (to reduce flow)
- RELAXES at low BP (to increase flow)
- Note… this is not to control BP…. this is to allow blood to the brain….. so it’s the opposite of what is useful to control BP*
Below the autoregulatory range –>compromised function
Above the autoregulatory range –> increased flow, swelling of brain tissue, increased intracranial pressure
How is local blood flow regulated- give the 2 mechanisms (one of the two factors affecting CBF)
Local brain activity determines o2 and glucose demands, local changes required –> LOCAL AUTOREGULATION.
- Neural control
- Chemical control
Pattern of vascularisation within CNS tissue
Arteries or arterioles (bit unclear) enter CNS tissue from branches of SURFACE pial vessels.
The branches penetratrate into brain parenchyma, branch to form capillaries, drain into venules and veins which drain into surface pial veins
Outline how neural factors impact cerebral blood flow (this is mostly local)
- Sympathetics constrict MAIN cerebral arteries when arterial BP high
- Parasympathetic facial nerve produce slight vasodilation
- Central cortical neurones release vasoconstrictor neurotransmitters like the catecholamines.
* 4. Dopaminergic neurones producing vasoconstriction- localised effect related to increased braina activity
Outline local regulation of CBF by dopaminergic neurons
Innervate penetrating arterioles and PERICYTES , divert cerebral blood to high activity areas, causes contraction of pericytes via AMINERGIC and SERETONINERGIC receptors
What are the functions of pericytes
Cells that wrap around capillaries- have immune, transport and contractile function (TIC)
Outline chemical regulation of local CBF
CO2 (indirect), increased H+ or lactic acid or other acids, NO, K+, adenosie, anoxia all VASODILATE.
Kinins, prostaglandins, histamine and endothelins also have an effect
How does CO2 increase local CBF?
NOT DIRECTLY
It passes from the blood across the endothelium into the VSM, or from brain tissue around the vessel into the VSM.
Then converted by carbonic anhydrase, with water into H+ and HCO3-.
High H+ means decreased pH which relaxes the contractile smooth muscle cells and increases blood flow.
KEY: CO2 is dervied from neural metabolic activity