Investigating cerebral blood flow in hypertensives using MRI
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the control of cerebral blood flow in hypertensives using MRI
IRAS ID
277293
Contact name
James Coulson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 30 days
Research summary
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a leading global risk factor for multiple diseases including stroke and heart disease. In the majority of cases, the cause is poorly understood. One possible cause of hypertension is Cushing’s hypothesis, which proposes that in response to a reduction in blood flow to the brain, there is an increase in sympathetic nerve activity (the so-called ‘fight-or-flight reponse’) which drives blood pressure back towards normal in order to restore blood flow to the brain. We are performing a study which involves magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure blood flow to the human brain. We are comparing healthy volunteers with people who have high blood pressure (both before and after they have started to take a blood pressure-lowering medication). MRI scans that enable measurement of blood flow will take place at Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC). For part of the study, we will ask participants to breath a slightly increased concentration of carbon dioxide in order to measure the changes in blood flow to the brain that this induces. By doing this we can investigate whether there is a problem with the function of blood vessels to the brain in hypertensives. This study will enable to us to investigate whether changes in blood flow and vascular function may be a cause of hypertension in humans.
REC name
North East - Tyne & Wear South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NE/0142
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion