Modelling oxygen transport in the human cerebral microvasculature #

Yidan Xue, Stephen Payne

11:50 Monday in 4Q56.

Part of the Physiological flows and transport session.

Abstract #

Healthy brain function depends on continuous blood and oxygen supply. Cerebral microvasculature, which accounts for the majority of surface areas of blood vessels, plays a key role in delivering oxygen to brain tissues. Geometrical changes in cerebral microvasculature can thus have significant impact on oxygen transport under both healthy (e.g., neurovascular coupling) and pathological conditions (e.g., response to microthrombi).

Here we present a mathematical model of oxygen transport in the human brain. In statistical models of human capillary and penetrating arterioles, blood flow was simulated using a flow network model and oxygen transport was modelled using a Green’s function method. In a representative elementary volume of capillary beds, the effects of blood flow shortage and microthrombi occlusions on tissue hypoxia were quantified. At the length scale of a cortical column, the mathematical model suggests that hypoxic regions can form distally from microthrombi, which agrees with recent experimental findings. We further quantified the spatial relationship between hypoxic regions and occlusion location, and validated the simulation results against animal experiments.

These results indicate the applicability of mathematical models to aid in understanding blood flow and oxygen transport in the human brain. Future work will focus on modelling the transport of microthrombi (and other microparticles) in cerebral microcirculation.