Mechanistic Mathematical Modeling Tests Hypotheses of the Neurovascular Coupling in fMRI.

ABSTRACT: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measures brain activity by detecting the blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) response to neural activity. The BOLD response depends on the neurovascular coupling, which connects cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood volume, and deoxyhemoglobin level to neuronal activity. The exact mechanisms behind this neurovascular coupling are not yet fully investigated. There are at least three different ways in which these mechanisms are being discussed. Firstly, mathematical models involving the so-called Balloon model describes the relation between oxygen metabolism, cerebral blood volume, and cerebral blood flow. However, the Balloon model does not describe cellular and biochemical mechanisms. Secondly, the metabolic feedback hypothesis, which is based on

SUBMITTER: Lundengard K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4911100 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature