Diversity in blood flow control to the brain.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Diversity in blood flow control to the brain: moving from individualized modelling towards personalized treatment of the injured brain. Control Subjects.
IRAS ID
160579
Contact name
AA Birch
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 20 days
Research summary
The brain, more than any other organ in the body, requires a constant supply of blood in order to maintain its function. When blood pressure drops, small arteries dilate to restore flow levels, and when pressure rises, they constrict to protect the most delicate blood vessels and avoid bleeding in the brain. This control system can become impaired for example following stroke, head trauma or dementia and this has been associated with worse outcomes for the patient. Failure of the control system also has important implications for the management of patient's blood pressure: changes in blood pressure could be dangerous without the protection of this 'autoregulatory' system.
This project aims to improve methods for measuring cerebral autoregulation and to gain understanding of the relationship between blood pressure and blood flow in healthy individuals. It sets out in a new direction for the field, by focussing on the diversity of ways in which brain blood flow may operate in different individuals, rather than studying average group behaviour, which has so far been the predominant approach. It also breaks new ground by integrating the study of blood flow with that of blood pressure control. We will investigate a sample of healthy volunteers in detail. We will record blood pressure, flow, heartrate and carbon dioxide levels at rest, and during challenges in a range of protocols. Using advanced data analysis methods, some of which will be developed as part of this project, we will quantify the simultaneous control of blood pressure and flow and aim to identify characteristic differences between individuals and sub-groups.
The overarching aim of this project is to lay the foundations for a personalized approach to managing blood pressure, based on characterising individuals' blood pressure and flow control, and thus to protect patients' brains from further damage.
REC name
HSC REC A
REC reference
14/NI/1146
Date of REC Opinion
17 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion