neurovascular coupling

Neurovascular coupling is the mechanism by which cerebral blood flow is matched to metabolic activity.

This field includes areas such as CO reactivity, neurovascular coupling and other aspects of cerebral haemodynamics.

Both approaches to hemoencephalography, near infrared and passive infrared, are indirect measures of neural activity based on neurovascular coupling.

EEG-fMRI therefore allows measuring both neuronal and haemodynamic activity which comprise two important components of the neurovascular coupling mechanism.

Glial cell depolarization caused by neuronal activity releases potassium onto blood stream, which was once widely hypothesized to be cause of vessel relaxation, was found to have little affect on neurovascular coupling.

Sildenafil has been shown to significantly improve neurovascular coupling without affecting overall cerebral blood flow by increasing brain levels of cGMP, evoking neurogenesis and reducing neurological deficits in rats 2 or 24 hours after stroke.

This technique is often used for research in e.g. elite sports training, ergonomics, rehabilition, patient monitoring, neonatal research, functional brain monitoring, brain computer interface, urology (bladder contraction), neurology (Neurovascular coupling) and more.