B M Ances — Page 2 | PubMed Health

PubMed1998

Transcranial laser doppler mapping of activation flow coupling of the rat somatosensory cortex.

Signal averaged laser Doppler (LD) through a thinned skull over the rat somatosensory cortex was used to map the spatial and temporal characteristics of activation-flow coupling, the change in regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) due to neuronal activation, in response to electrical forepaw stimulation. The location of maximal changes in amplitude of the LD response was reproducibly recorded at 4-5 mm lateral to Bregma. This location is very similar but slightly posterior and lateral to results obtained from electrophysiological, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and optical imaging studies. The latency of the activation-flow coupling (AFC) response was inversely correlated to response amplitude, with shorter latencies at positions of maximal amplitude.

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PubMed1998

Signal averaged laser Doppler measurements of activation-flow coupling in the rat forepaw somatosensory cortex.

Regional alterations in cerebral blood flow (CBF) are widely used as a surrogate for neuronal function based on an intact coupling between changes in regional CBF and metabolism, activation-flow coupling (AFC). To further investigate parameters affecting AFC, we have implemented a rat model with electrical forepaw stimulation under alpha-chloralose anesthesia using laser Doppler (LD) measurements of flow parameters through thinned skull over contralateral somatosensory cortex. Signal averaging of the LD response was used to improve reproducibility. A characteristic flow response to electrical forepaw stimulation was reliably recorded from the somatosensory cortex using signal averaging. Stimulation at 5 Hz maximized the LD response, and constant current stimulation up to 1 mA did not induce changes in systemic blood pressure. The shape of the flow response consisted of an initial peak followed by a steady state plateau phase which was observed for stimulation durations longer than 4 s. When individual LD parameters of velocity, red blood cell concentration (CRBC), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were compared, changes in LDCBF were primarily attributable to changes in LDvelocity rather than LDCRBC. This finding was also observed during hypercapnia. Characterization of AFC in the model provides a background for future studies of the effects of pharmacological manipulation or pathophysiological states.

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