Human cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption as related to aging

doi:10.1016/0021-9681(56)90146-1

Journal of Chronic Diseases

Volume 3, Issue 5, May 1956, Pages 478-486

Journal of Chronic D...

https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9681(56)90146-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

A review of available information on over-all cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption in man obtained by means of the nitrous oxide technique reveals a distinct correlation of these functions with age.

There is a rapid fall in the circulation and oxygen utilization of the brain from childhood through adolescence followed by a more gradual but progressive reduction throughout the remaining age span.

The factors responsible for these changes and whether one or the other is primary appear to be suitable subjects for continued investigation.

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Cited by (214)

Prognostication in neurology
2022, Handbook of Clinical Neurology
Citation Excerpt :
There is a decrease in both the number of central nervous system neurons and synapses (Dorszewska, 2013). Cerebral blood flow and blood flow auto-regulation also decrease with age (Kety, 1956; Leenders et al., 1990; Martin et al., 1991; Wagner et al., 2012). The loss of blood flow may be related to a decline in microvascular structure (Brown and Thore, 2011).
Prognosticating is central to primary palliative care in neurology. Many neurologic diseases carry a high burden of troubling symptoms, and many individuals consider health states due to neurologic disease worse than death. Many patients and families report high levels of need for information at all disease stages, including information about prognosis. There are many barriers to communicating prognosis including prognostic uncertainty, lack of training and experience, fear of destroying hope, and not enough time. Developing the right mindset, tools, and skills can improve one's ability to formulate and communicate prognosis. Prognosticating is subject to many biases which can dramatically affect the quality of patient care; it is important for providers to recognize and reduce them. Patients and surrogates often do not hear what they are told, and even when they hear correctly, they form their own opinions. With practice and self-reflection, one can improve their prognostic skills, help patients and families create honest roadmaps of the future, and deliver high-quality person-centered care.
Vessel length on SNAP MRA and TOF MRA is a potential imaging biomarker for brain blood flow
2021, Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Citation Excerpt :
From this perspective, vascular features, such as vessel length and number of branches, on non-contrast MRA may serve as surrogate markers of blood flow. In fact, associations between such vascular features on TOF images and aging have been previously reported [7,8], and may be attributed to the well-known age-related blood flow reduction [9,10]. Simultaneous non-contrast angiography and intraplaque hemorrhage (SNAP) is an MR imaging technique that allows for MRA imaging and detection of intraplaque hemorrhage in a single scan [11,12].
To explore feasibility of using the vessel length on time-of-flight (TOF) or simultaneous non-contrast angiography and intraplaque hemorrhage (SNAP) MRA as an imaging biomarker for brain blood flow, by using arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion imaging and 3D phase contrast (PC) quantitative flow imaging as references.
In a population of thirty subjects with carotid atherosclerotic disease, the visible intracranial arteries on TOF and SNAP were semi-automatically traced and the total length of the distal segments was calculated with a dedicated software named iCafe. ASL blood flow was calculated automatically using the recommended hemodynamic model. PC blood flow was obtained by generating cross-sectional arterial images and semi-automatically drawing the lumen contours. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess the associations between the different whole-brain or hemispheric blood flow measurements.
Under the imaging protocol used in this study, TOF vessel length was larger than SNAP vessel length (P < 0.001). Both whole-brain TOF and SNAP vessel length showed a correlation with whole brain ASL and 3D PC blood flow measurements, and the correlation coefficients were higher for SNAP vessel length (TOF vs ASL: R = 0.554, P = 0.002; SNAP vs ASL: R = 0.711, P < 0.001; TOF vs 3D PC: R = 0.358, P = 0.052; SNAP vs 3D PC: R = 0.425, P = 0.019). Similar correlation results were observed for the hemispheric measurements. Hemispheric asymmetry index of SNAP vessel length also showed a significant correlation with hemispheric asymmetry index of ASL cerebral blood flow (R = 0.770, P < 0.001).
The results suggest that length of the visible intracranial arteries on TOF or SNAP MRA can serve as a potential imaging marker for brain blood flow.
Increasing neuronal glucose uptake attenuates brain aging and promotes life span under dietary restriction in Drosophila
2021, iScience
Brain neurons play a central role in organismal aging, but there is conflicting evidence about the role of neuronal glucose availability because glucose uptake and metabolism are associated with both aging and extended life span. Here, we analyzed metabolic changes in the brain neurons of Drosophila during aging. Using a genetically encoded fluorescent adenosine triphosphate (ATP) biosensor, we found decreased ATP concentration in the neuronal somata of aged flies, correlated with decreased glucose content, expression of glucose transporter and glycolytic enzymes and mitochondrial quality. The age-associated reduction in ATP concentration did not occur in brain neurons with suppressed glycolysis or enhanced glucose uptake, suggesting these pathways contribute to ATP reductions. Despite age-associated mitochondrial damage, increasing glucose uptake maintained ATP levels, suppressed locomotor deficits, and extended the life span. Increasing neuronal glucose uptake during dietary restriction resulted in the longest life spans, suggesting an additive effect of enhancing glucose availability during a bioenergetic challenge on aging.
Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism: Regulation and Pathophysiology in Cerebrovascular Disease
2021, Stroke: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management
Vertebral artery hypoplasia influences age-related differences in blood flow of the large intracranial arteries
2021, Aging Brain
Our purpose was to compare cerebral blood flow in the large intracranial vessels between healthy adults with (VAH+) and without (No VAH) vertebral artery hypoplasia. We also evaluated age-related differences in regional blood flow through the large cerebral arteries. Healthy young (n = 20; age = 25 ± 3 years) and older adults (n = 19; age = 61 ± 5 years) underwent 4D flow MRI scans to evaluate blood flow in the internal carotid arteries (ICA) and basilar artery (BA). VAH was determined retrospectively from 4D flow MRI using both structural (vessel diameter ≤ 2 mm) and flow criteria (flow ≤ 50 mL/min). We identified 5 young and 5 older adults with unilateral VAH (prevalence = 26%). ICA flow was lower in the VAH+ group compared with the No VAH group (367 ± 75 mL/min vs. 432 ± 92 mL/min, respectively; p < 0.05). There was no difference in BA flow between VAH+ and No VAH (110 ± 20 mL/min vs. 126 ± 40 mL/min, respectively; p = 0.24). When comparing age-related differences in blood flow in the No VAH group, older adults demonstrated lower BA flow compared with young adults (111 ± 38 mL/min vs. 140 ± 38 mL/min, respectively; p < 0.05) but not ICA flow (428 ± 89 mL/min vs. 436 ± 98 mL/min, respectively; p = 0.82). In contrast, in the VAH+ group, older adults had lower ICA flow compared with young adults (312 ± 65 mL/min vs. 421 ± 35 mL/min, respectively; p < 0.01), but not BA flow (104 ± 16 mL/min vs. 117 ± 23 mL/min, respectively; p = 0.32). Our results suggest that the presence of VAH is associated with lower ICA blood flow. Furthermore, VAH may contribute to the variability in the age-related differences in cerebral blood flow in healthy adults.
Intracranial vascular feature changes in time of flight MR angiography in patients undergoing carotid revascularization surgery
2021, Magnetic Resonance Imaging
To characterize the intracranial vascular features extracted from time of flight (TOF) images and their changes from baseline to follow-up in patients undergoing carotid revascularization, using arterial spin labeling (ASL) cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurement as a reference.
In this retrospective study, brain TOF and ASL images of 99 subjects, acquired before, within 48 h, and/or 6 months after, carotid revascularization surgery were analyzed. TOF images were analyzed using a custom software (iCafe) to quantify intracranial vascular features, including total vessel length, total vessel volume, and number of branches. Mean whole-brain CBF was calculated from ASL images. ASL scans showing low ASL signal in the entire flow territory of an internal carotid artery (ICA), which may be caused by labeling failure, were excluded. Changes and correlations between time points were analyzed separately for TOF intracranial vascular features and ASL CBF.
Similar to ASL CBF, TOF vascular features (i.e. total vessel length, total vessel volume and number of branches) increased dramatically from baseline to post-surgery, then returned to a level slightly higher than the baseline in long-term follow-up (All P < 0.05). Correlation between time points was observed for all three TOF vascular features but not for ASL CBF.
Intracranial vascular features, including total vessel length, total vessel volume and number of branches, extracted from TOF images are useful in detecting brain blood flow changes induced by carotid revascularization surgery.

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^☆: Presented at meeting of Association for Research in Nervous and Mental Disease, New York, Dec. 9–10, 1955.

^∗: Associate Director in Charge of Research.

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Original communicationHuman cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption as related to aging☆

Abstract

Am. J. Med.

J. Pediat.

Am. J. Med.

Nitrous Oxide Method for the Quantitative Determination of Cerebral Blood Flow in Man: Theory, Procedure and Normal Values

J. Clin. Invest.

Effects of Aging on Cerebral Circulation and Metabolism

Arch. Neuro. & Psychiat.

The Cerebral Blood Flow in Male Subjects as Measured by the Nitrous Oxide Technique

J. Clin. Invest.

Comparison of Continuous and Intermittent Sampling in Nitrous Oxide Method for Determining Cerebral Blood Flow

Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism in Normal Children

Am. J. Dis. Child.

Cerebral Blood Flow and Oxygen Consumption in Hyperthyroidism Before and After Treatment

J. Clin. Invest.

The Effects of Sleep and Lack of Sleep on the Cerebral Circulation and Metabolism of Normal Young Men

J. Clin. Invest.

The Effects of Aging, Arteriosclerosis, and Hypertension Upon the Cerebral Circulation

J. Clin. Invest

Original communication
Human cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption as related to aging☆