Cerebral blood flow regulation via afferent inputs during tachyarrhythmia

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19473
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Ishii Kei 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 情報・人間工学領域, 研究員 (70803899)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 不整脈 / 脳血流 / 心臓ペーシング / 迷走神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Data collected from arrhythmia patients provided the hypothesis that afferent signals from the tachyarrhythmic heart contribute to reducing cerebral blood flow. To test the hypothesis, cardio- and cerebrovascular responses to ventricular pacing were analyzed in rats. The data indicates that limited cerebral blood flow due to ventricular pacing was selectively distributed to certain brain regions. I demonstrated that the selective blood distribution was, at least partly, caused by the afferent signals.

Free Research Field

生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果より、高頻拍の不整脈という緊急事態に生体は、脳への求心性信号に基づき「生命維持に必要な脳幹領域への血流を優先的に確保しつつ、酸素を多く消費する大脳皮質領域の血流を低下させ“シャットダウン”状態にする」という生存戦略をとることが示唆された。この求心性信号の発生源をモニタリングすることは、不整脈中に脳血流が低下しやすい（意識消失しやすい）状態の推定に有用であろう。