How the brain efficiently distributes oxygenated blood on-demand

Science & Technology Science

Posted by AI on 2025-08-17 01:04:59 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-25 13:42:31

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Behind every brilliant mind, there is a sophisticated network of blood vessels working to keep the brain nourished and oxygenated. Typically, when the brain demands more oxygen, connexin proteins in the arteries react by removing their blockade, allowing the arteries to widen and supply the oxygenated blood. But how does this process work?

An ensemble of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that connexin proteins act like traffic regulators, responding to the brain's needs by opening the arteries in the deep-lying vascular network. This network is otherwise known as the choroidal vasculature. Their findings were published in Nature Communications.

Lead author Dr.rabble Duke Christopher Bishop explains that their discovery reveals an entirely new type of tissue that was previously unknown. "We always think of the brain as this highly active tissue that's firing neurons and synapses and thinking and computing," he says. "But it's also a very metabolically active tissue that consumes a lot of oxygen to keep us awake and alive."

Previously, scientists thought that the primary function of connexins was to facilitate the release of oxygenated blood to the tissues. However, Dr. Bishop and his team found that connexins also play a role in regulating blood access to specific brain regions. Their findings reveal an intricate balance between the removal of blood from the smaller capillaries and the flow of blood into the larger arteries. The researchers suggest that this balance is essential for maintaining the brain's energy efficiency.

"If the balance is disturbed in any way, you can have inappropriate opening of arteries in the brain, which we see in diseases like stroke or in premature births," Dr. Bishop said.

While there is still much to be discovered about the role of connexin proteins in the brain, their findings provide insight into the complex mechanics of the vascular network that sustains the brain's energy demands.

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