Neurovascular coupling is the concept that in the CNS, organ function is tightly associated with blood flow, moreso than in other organs. Theoretical background and latest thinking — From the introduction in The Neurovascular Unit Coming of Age: A Journey through Neurovascular Coupling in Health and Disease (2017, Neuron) — Overcoming "dualistic thinking" — Neurovascular coupling underlies functional MRI which uses Blood Oxgygen Level-Dependent (BOLD) imaging, whereby measured regional increase in O2 levels in the blood corresponds to specific areas of brain activation. Oxygen levels rise much more than brain tissue can use, which has been a long-standing paradox. Down the rabbit hole of complex brain biochemistry, relating oxidative phosphorylation, anaerobic glycolysis and lactate generation under a situation of no capillary recruitment to metabolic challenge... From the abstract for Neurovascular coupling is optimized to compensate for the increase in proton production from nonoxidative glycolysis and glycogenolysis during brain activation and maintain homeostasis of pH, pCO2, and pO2 (2023, Journal of Neurochemistry) — Expanding with —
More papers on theories and mechanisms — Neurovascular Uncoupling Is Linked to Microcirculatory Dysfunction in Regions Outside the Ischemic Core Following Ischemic Stroke (2023, Journal of the American Heart Association) Emerging Links between Cerebral Blood Flow Regulation and Cognitive Decline: A Role for Brain Microvascular Pericytes (2022, Aging and disease) Neurovascular coupling mechanisms in health and neurovascular uncoupling in Alzheimer’s disease (2022, Brain) - linked above by @livinglighter Revisiting the neurovascular unit (2021, Nature Neuroscience) Interpericyte tunnelling nanotubes regulate neurovascular coupling (2020, Nature) Caveolae in CNS arterioles mediate neurovascular coupling (2020, Nature) Glial and neuronal control of brain blood flow (2010, Nature)
Evidence suggesting abnormalities of neurovascular coupling in ME/CFS/LC — Altered brain connectivity in Long Covid during cognitive exertion: a pilot study (2023, Frontiers in Neuroscience) Changes in Brain Activation Pattern During Working Memory Tasks in People With Post-COVID Condition and Persistent Neuropsychiatric Symptoms (2023, Neurology) Submaximal Exercise Provokes Increased Activation of the Anterior Default Mode Network During the Resting State as a Biomarker of Postexertional Malaise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (2021, Frontiers in Neuroscience) Neuroimaging characteristics of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome ME/CFS: a systematic review (2020, Journal of Translational Medicine) Decreased Connectivity and Increased Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent Complexity in the Default Mode Network in Individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (2018, Brain Connectivity) Brain function characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome: A task fMRI study (2018, NeuroImage: Clinical)