Mental DailyMental Daily
  • Clinical
  • Health
  • I/O
  • Cybernetic
  • Social
  • More
    • Opinion
    • The Discussion
    • My Bookmarks
Aa
Mental Daily
Aa
  • Clinical
  • Health
  • I/O
  • Cybernetic
  • Social
  • Opinion
Search
  • Clinical
  • Health
  • I/O
  • Cybernetic
  • Social
  • More
    • Opinion
    • The Discussion
    • My Bookmarks
Follow US
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Inc. Profile
  • Google Play Store
© 2022 - Mental Daily. All Rights Reserved.
Clinical

How calcium directs the blood flow in the brain’s capillaries

Staff Writer
Staff Writer 11 months ago
Updated 2021/07/25 at 12:50 AM
Share
SHARE

As part of a recent study first published in Science Advances, a group of experts at the University of Maryland, in conjunction with the University of Vermont, attempted to further comprehend how the brain communicates to blood vessels when energy is needed.

The study also looked at how the brain directs energy to itself and what outcomes can occur if blood flow in the brain is disrupted, leading to neurodegeneration.

“There seem to be two mechanisms working in tandem to ensure that energy in the form of blood makes it to specific regions of the brain: one broad and the other precise,” said Thomas Longden, co-author of the study, in a press release.

“The first electrical mechanism is like a crude sledgehammer approach to get more blood to the general vicinity of the increased brain activity by controlling the medium-sized arterioles, and then capillary calcium signals ensure exquisite fine-tuning to make sure the blood gets to exactly the right place at the right time through the tiny capillaries.”

For the study, researchers turned to calcium signaling in the brain within the brain’s blood vessels. In rodents, they probed calcium’s role in controlling blood flow in the brain’s capillaries.

By using a protein that emits a green light when calcium increases in the cell, researchers were able to detect 5,000 calcium signals per second in the capillaries in the tiny section of the brain visible, purportedly attributed to nearly 1 million of these responses each second in the brain’s whole blood vessel system.

The study showed that calcium directs blood flow in the brain’s blood vessels.

“Capillaries were traditionally thought as simple conduits for red blood cells, and the barrier between the blood and brain,” said Mark Nelson, another co-author of the study.

“Here, we revealed an unknown universe of calcium signaling in capillaries, and much like traffic lights, these calcium signals direct vital nutrients to nearby active neurons.”

Photo: zhihu

You Might Also Like

Study finds mental distress affects almost half of all teenage females in Norway

ICD-11 lists complex post-traumatic stress disorder as a new condition

New research identifies personality traits linked to cognitive deficits

Many known biological pathways in the brain are impacted by Alzheimer’s disease

Immune system and CNS may play a major role in ALS

TAGGED: calcium, cognition, dementia, neuroscience
Staff Writer July 24, 2021
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp Email Print
Previous Article Study finds mindfulness training may lessen the risk of cesareans
Next Article Study finds about 13 percent of parental figures between the ages of 18 and 40 regret having children

Recommended

Clinical

Study finds mental distress affects almost half of all teenage females in Norway

1 Min Read
Clinical

ICD-11 lists complex post-traumatic stress disorder as a new condition

1 Min Read
Clinical

New research identifies personality traits linked to cognitive deficits

1 Min Read
Clinical

Many known biological pathways in the brain are impacted by Alzheimer’s disease

1 Min Read
//

We are a trusted online source for research news and resources on all aspects of the mind and human behavior.

Verticals

  • Clinical
  • Health
  • Social
  • I/O
  • Opinion

Social

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Inc. Profile
  • Google Play Store

Links

  • About
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Follow US

© 2022 Mental Daily. All Rights Reserved.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Inc. Profile
  • Google Play Store

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?