Research project: Diversity in blood flow control to the brain
The brain, more than any other organ in the body, requires a constant supply of blood in order to maintain its function. When blood pressure drops, small arteries dilate to restore flow levels, and when pressure rises, they constrict to protect the most delicate blood vessels and avoid bleeding in the brain. This control system can however become impaired for example following stroke, head trauma, in dementia or following premature birth and this has been associated with worse outcomes for the patient. Failure of the control system also has important implications for the management of patient’s blood pressure: changes in blood pressure could be dangerous without the protection of this ‘autoregulatory’ system.