2024-04-172024-04-172024-03-21https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12503/32698Research Appreciation Day Award Winner - Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2024 Medical Student Government Association Best in Second Year ClassBackground: Changing the pattern of cerebral blood flow by forcing oscillations in arterial pressure and blood flow at 0.1 Hz (10-second cycle) can limit reductions in cerebral tissue oxygenation during a condition of reduced cerebral perfusion. This method of inducing 0.1 Hz hemodynamic oscillations is called Pulsatile Perfusion Therapy (PPT). Sympathetic activation can increase the amplitude of 0.1 Hz hemodynamic oscillations, and acutely increase arterial stiffness. The impact of increasing carotid arterial stiffness on the magnitude of 0.1 Hz cerebral blood flow oscillations has not been examined. We hypothesize that the with application of 0.1 Hz PPT during a condition of cerebral hypoperfusion, 1) the subsequent increase in sympathetic activity will acutely increase carotid arterial stiffness, and; 2) greater carotid artery stiffness will result in a higher amplitude of oscillations in cerebral blood flow. Methods: 10 healthy participants (8 males, 2 females) were exposed to 10-min of oscillatory lower body negative pressure (OLBNP) at 0.1 Hz, which induced both a state of cerebral hypoperfusion, and 0.1 Hz hemodynamic oscillations. Middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv), internal carotid artery (ICA) diameter, and beat-to-beat arterial pressure were measured. ICA stiffness was determined using the beta-stiffness index, incorporating ICA diameter and arterial pressure measurements. The amplitude of 0.1 Hz MCAv oscillations was assessed via fast Fourier transformation. Results: While OLBNP increased MCAv 0.1 Hz oscillations (36.1 ± 24.2 cm/s2 vs. 812.4 ± 668.0 cm/s2; P=0.01), ICA beta stiffness was not different between the baseline and OLBNP conditions (12.3 ± 4.9 au vs. 13.2 ± 5.7 au; P=0.56). There was no relationship between ICA stiffness and the amplitude of MCAv oscillations during OLBNP (r=0.17, P=0.68). Conclusions: Contrary to our hypothesis, ICA stiffness did not increase during 0.1 Hz OLBNP, and there was no correlation between ICA stiffness and the magnitude of MCAv oscillations induced at 0.1 Hz. These data suggest that ICA stiffness may not determine the magnitude of induced oscillations in cerebral blood flow. Future studies will examine these effects in older adults to determine the potential beneficial application of PPT for the treatment of low cerebral perfusion conditions (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, stroke).enposter