Neural Blood Flow, often referred to as cerebral blood flow (CBF), is the precisely regulated volume of blood delivered to the brain and nervous tissue per unit of time. This blood supply is critical because the brain, despite being only a small percentage of body weight, consumes a disproportionately large amount of the body’s oxygen and glucose. Maintaining adequate and regionally appropriate neural blood flow is essential for optimal cognitive function, mood regulation, and the health of the neuroendocrine axes. Dysregulation of this flow is implicated in numerous neurological and age-related cognitive decline conditions.
Origin
This term is derived from neurophysiology and vascular biology. “Neural” refers to the nervous system, while “blood flow” is the volumetric rate of blood transport. The study of this process, known as neurovascular coupling, has been a key area of neuroscience research, recognizing the immediate link between neuronal activity and localized blood supply. The body’s unique mechanisms for regulating this flow highlight the brain’s critical dependence on continuous perfusion.
Mechanism
The primary mechanism is cerebral autoregulation, which maintains a constant CBF despite fluctuations in systemic blood pressure. Furthermore, local control is exerted through neurovascular coupling, where increased neuronal activity in a specific brain region triggers a rapid, localized vasodilation of surrounding arterioles. This vasodilation is mediated by various signaling molecules released by active neurons and astrocytes, including nitric oxide, potassium ions, and prostaglandins, ensuring that blood delivery precisely matches metabolic demand.
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