Applied cerebral physiology

Taylor, Chris; Hirsch, Nicholas

doi:10.1016/j.mpaic.2007.08.010

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Volume 8, Issue 10 , Pages 407-412, October 2007

Applied cerebral physiology

Chris Taylor, MRCP, FRCA, is Clinical Fellow in Neuroanaesthesia on the North Central Thames Rotation. He qualified from University College London medical school in 1996. He has a specialist interest in adult and paediatric neuroanaesthesia

Nicholas Hirsch, FRCA, FRCP, is Consultant Neuroanaesthetist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Neurology. He qualified from Guy's Hospital in 1978 and trained in anaesthesia in London and at Yale University. His research interests involve neuroanaesthesia and neurocritical care medicine

Abstract

The brain uses large amounts of glucose for its basal energy requirements, and these are further increased during cerebral activation. In order that glucose can provide this energy, a plentiful and uninterrupted supply of oxygen is necessary. Cerebral blood flow is therefore critical for normal cerebral function. Its control is dictated by local intrinsic metabolic needs as well as extraneous factors such as arterial blood pressure, arterial carbon dioxide and oxygen tension, temperature and neural factors. This article reviews cerebral metabolism and cerebral blood flow and techniques by which both can be monitored.

Keywords: cerebral autoregulation, cerebral blood flow, cerebral metabolism, intracranial pressure