Anatomy

Internal medicine

Cerebral blood flow

Neuroscience

Neurovascular bundle

Cerebral circulation

Coupling (piping)

Psychology

Blood flow

Metallurgy

Materials science

Anesthesia

Medicine

Trends in Neurosciences

In the brain, increases in neural activity drive changes in local blood flow via neurovascular coupling. The common explanation for increased blood flow (known as functional hyperemia) is that it supplies the metabolic needs of active neurons. However, there is a large body of evidence that is inconsistent with this idea. Baseline blood flow is adequate to supply oxygen needs even with elevated neural activity. Neurovascular coupling is irregular, absent, or inverted in many brain regions, behavioral states, and conditions.

Neurovascular coupling: motive unknown