The relationship between left ventricular cardiac function with 3-dimensional echocardiography and total cerebral blood flow

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18088
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied health science; General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: Kyorin University
• Principal Investigator: Ai Hirasawa 杏林大学, 保健学部, 学内講師 (30459945)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 左室収縮・拡張機能 / 脳血流量 / 3次元心臓超音波検査法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) decreases with aging, and reduced CBF is known to be a risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. The relationship between cardiac output and CBF has been shown in healthy individuals. The cardiac function may play an important role in maintenance of CBF. We tested the hypothesis that the left ventricular (LV) function would be associated with CBF in the healthy elderly. End-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS) and twist were measured as LV function indices by using 3D echocardiography. CBF measured blood flow velocity and vessel diameter in internal carotid and vertebral arteries using a Doppler ultrasound. EDV, ESV, GCS and twist were not correlated with CBF. In contrast, GLS was significantly correlated with CBF. Present results indicated that GLS may play more significant role for resting CBF in the healthy elderly as compared with other LV function.

Free Research Field

循環生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

心機能の低下が脳血流量低下を引き起こし、さらに、認知機能低下に関与することが明らかになれば、認知症発症予防に心機能を維持することの重要性を示すことができる。本研究では、脳血流量が心筋の壁収縮運動と関係することが明らかとなった。運動が認知症予防に有用であることは知られており、さらに、運動は心機能の改善にも影響を与える。本研究の成果は、心機能を高めることが認知症発症予防に貢献する可能性が示した知見であり、社会的意義も高いと言える。さらに、認知症発症予防のための運動処方作成に貢献する知見でもある。