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The role of adenosine in autoregulation of cerebral blood flow

  • Autoregulation of Cerebral Blood Flow
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Abstract

We have investigated the role of adenosine, a purine nucleoside and potent vasodilator of cerebral pial vessels, during both acute (0–60 sec) and sustained (2–5 min) changes in cerebral perfusion pressure. Brain adenosine concentrations are rapidly increased within 5 sec of the onset of systemic hypotension and parallel, in a temporal fashion, the changes in pial vessel diameter and alterations in cerebral vascular resistance. During sustained hypotension, brain levels of adenosine are increased even within the autoregulatory range. These data are constant with the hypothesis that adenosine is an important metabolic factor in cerebral autoregulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

    H. Richard Winn & Seiji Morii

  2. Department of Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

    Robert M. Berne

Authors
  1. H. Richard Winn
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  2. Seiji Morii
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  3. Robert M. Berne
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Winn, H.R., Morii, S. & Berne, R.M. The role of adenosine in autoregulation of cerebral blood flow. Ann Biomed Eng 13, 321–328 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02584250

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