Grant: Operating Grant

The control of brain blood flow is absolutely critical for maintaining brain function. Brain blood flow control requires intimate communication from brain cells to nearby small blood vessels. This communication results in diameter changes to the vessels, to speed up or slow down nutrient delivery from the blood to ensure appropriate supply. Deficiencies in this fundamental process can have devastating consequences to brain health, which include stroke, vascular dementia and migraine. Surprisingly, how brain cells coordinate blood vessel diameter changes is not fully understood. Currently it is believed that neurons and brain support cells called astrocytes are important players in blood flow control. However, the current model of blood flow control posits that neurons and astrocytes act in series (neuron to astrocyte to blood vessel) to make adjustments in blood vessel diameter. Here we propose a new conceptual framework for blood flow control by detailing a new way in which neurons and astrocytes act in parallel with one another, each regulating a different aspect of blood vessel diameter control. The results from our proposed experiments will provide novel insights into the fundamental mechanisms of blood flow control in the brain. The knowledge gained will be an important step towards developing therapeutics for conditions impacted by abnormal brain blood flow.