Cerebral blood flow is the circulation of blood through the brain, regulated to remain at a constant level. Blood carbon dioxide levels affect cerebral blood flow, and variations in blood flow in different regions of the brain are related to metabolic activity. Impaired cerebral blood flow is associated with conditions such as hypothyroidism.
Cerebral blood flow, or CBF, is the circulation of blood through the brain. Blood flows into the brain from the vertebral and carotid arteries of the neck and exits mainly through the internal jugular veins, also located in the neck. Within the brain, cerebral circulation occurs within cerebral blood vessels, with the total flow regulated to remain at a constant level. At the same time, the blood supply to different parts of the brain varies according to the amount of activity present.
Several factors are involved in the regulation of total cerebral blood flow. The pressure of the blood in the arteries and veins and the thickness, or viscosity, of the blood all have an effect on the overall flow. Also, the small arteries in the brain can narrow or widen, and the overall pressure within the skull can change. All of these elements work together to keep total CBF at a constant level. The pressure of blood flow through the brain is sometimes referred to as cerebral perfusion pressure.
Blood carbon dioxide levels have been shown to affect cerebral blood flow. When carbon dioxide pressure drops, as can happen when people hyperventilate, cerebral blood flow decreases. This is because low levels of carbon dioxide cause brain blood vessels to constrict, so less blood is available to the brain tissues and the person feels lightheaded and lightheaded.
The variations in blood flow in different regions of the brain are related to the metabolic activity there, with active areas, where the tissues absorb more glucose, being the places with higher blood flow. The exact mechanism by which this occurs is not yet fully understood. Perfusion scanning is a technique that uses technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging, or magnetic resonance imaging, to produce images of the brain that show increased blood flow to those areas. These images can be used to demonstrate which parts of the brain are involved in performing certain activities and can also help to understand diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Using imaging techniques, impaired cerebral blood flow has been found to be associated with a number of different conditions, including hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Here, a decrease in blood supply has been found in certain areas of the brain, including those involved in memory and attention, which could give rise to some of the symptoms of the disease. Hypothyroidism can be treated by taking thyroid hormone tablets to replace the missing natural hormones.
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