title: Effects of graded hypotension on cerebral blood flow, blood volume, and mean transit time in dogs.
abstract: This study tested the hypothesis that cerebral blood flow (CBF) is maintained by vasodilation, which manifests itself as a progressive increase in mean transit time (MTT) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) when cerebral perfusion pressure is reduced. Cerebral perfusion pressure was decreased in 10 pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs by controlled hemorrhage. Microsphere-determined CBF was autoregulated in all tested cerebral regions over the 40- to 130-mmHg cerebral perfusion pressure range but decreased by 50% at approximately 30 mmHg. MTT and CBV progressively and proportionately increased in the right parietal cerebral cortex over the 40- to 130-mmHg cerebral perfusion pressure range. Total hemoglobin content (Hb1), measured in the same area by an optical method, increased in parallel with the increases in CBV computed as the (CBF.MTT) product. At 30 mmHg cerebral perfusion pressure, CBV and Hb were still increased and MTT was disproportionately lengthened (690% of control). We conclude that within the autoregulatory range, CBF constancy is maintained by both increased CBV and MTT. Outside the autoregulatory range, substantial prolongation of the MTT occurs. When CBV is maximal, further reductions in cerebral perfusion pressure produce disproportionate increases in MTT that signal the loss of cerebral vascular dilatory hemodynamic reserve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology/Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Hanley
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Traystman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001810:Blood Volume; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005740:Gases / Q000097:blood; D006439:Hemodynamics; D007022:Hypotension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005740:Gases