title: Influence of cerebral blood vessel movements on the position of perivascular synapses.
abstract: Synaptic activity is regulated and limited by blood flow, which is controlled by blood vessel dilation and contraction. Traditionally, the study of neurovascular coupling has mainly focused on energy consumption and oxygen delivery. However, the mechanical changes that blood vessel movements induce in the surrounding tissue have not been considered. We have modeled the mechanical changes that movements of blood vessels cause in neighboring synapses. Our simulations indicate that synaptic densities increase or decrease during vascular dilation and contraction, respectively, near the blood vessel walls. This phenomenon may alter the concentration of neurotransmitters and vasoactive substances in the immediate vicinity of the vessel wall and thus may have an influence on local blood flow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0717-8189
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urrecha
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.|IMDEA Materials Institute, Getafe, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0364-6969
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.|Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeFelipe
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.|Departamento de Arquitectura y Tecnología de Sistemas Informáticos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Angel
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7228-5821
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merchán-Pérez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D004106:Dilatation; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*