The human systemic and cerebral circulations: contrasts in structure and function

Michael O'Rourke*, Jonathan Stone, Audrey Adji, Mi Ok Kim, Yan Li, Ji Guang Wang, Alberto Avolio, Per Kristian Eide, Marek Czosnyka

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    5 Citations (Scopus)
    29 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Apart from peculiarities of the cerebral circulation, required to perfuse the brain with the subject erect, the principles established for function of the human systemic circulation (pulsatile flow at input and steady flow at output in capillaries) are identical to those established for other mammals. Assumption of the erect posture first as Homo erectus, then as Homo sapiens, conferred huge advantage to humans and led to command of the mammalian kingdom. But this required a circulation which could perfuse the brain securely against gravity in all positions of the body. This review covers what presently is known about the human cerebral circulation, and how such knowledge can be applied in some clinical conditions including development of dementia in older subjects, and in management of patients with elevation of intra-cranial pressure in younger subjects.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)197-211
    Number of pages15
    JournalArtery Research
    Volume26
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Dec 2020

    Bibliographical note

    Copyright the Publisher 2020. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

    Keywords

    • Wave reflection
    • reflection coefficient
    • pressure waves
    • flow waves
    • intracranial pressure
    • pulse wave analysis
    • Wave reflection reflection coefficient pressure waves flow waves intracranial pressure pulse wave analysis

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