David Boas, Ph.D.
February 29(Thu) - February 29(Thu), 2024
11 a.m.
86314 & ZOOM
Date: 11 a.m., Thu, Feb 29th
Abstract: Functional neuroimaging, which generally measures vascular responses to brain activity, is invaluable for monitoring stroke patients during recovery. However, the neurophysiological interpretations of these vascular signals remains a challenge, and is under active investigation, as the stroke almost always alters the observed vascular signals. In other words, we do not know the effect of stroke on neurovascular coupling. To study this question, we simultaneously captured neuronal activity, through fluorescence calcium imaging, and hemodynamics, through intrinsic optical signal imaging, during longitudinal stroke recovery. We found that photothrombotic stroke to somatosensory forelimb altered neurovascular coupling in the acute phase within the affected forelimb and peri-infarct regions. Neurovascular coupling was reestablished in the chronic phase and acute recovery of neurovascular coupling predicted behavioral outcome. Stroke also resulted in increases in the power of global brain oscillations, which showed distinct patterns between calcium and hemodynamics and that increased calcium excitability in the contralesional hemisphere was associated with increased intrahemispheric connectivity. Additionally, acute increases in hemodynamic oscillations were associated with improved behavioral outcomes. These acute hemodynamic biomarkers predicting behavioral outcomes will guide future preclinical studies of novel stroke treatments and eventually impact human studies of functional recovery and the impact of acute therapies.
Website: https://www.bu.edu/neurophotonics/
: https://www.researchgate.net/lab/David-Boas-Lab-2