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Pharmacologically‐induced impairment of neurovascular coupling responses alters gait coordination in mice
Author(s) -
Tarantini Stefano,
Yabluchanskiy Andriy,
Fulop Gabor Aaron,
Hertelendy Peter,
ValcarcelAres Marta Noa,
Kiss Tamas,
Bagwell Jonathan M.,
O'Connor Daniel,
Farkas Eszter,
Sorond Farzaneh,
Csiszar Anna,
Ungvari Zoltan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.711.9
Subject(s) - gait , cognitive decline , neurovascular bundle , medicine , cerebral blood flow , neuroscience , psychology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , dementia , pathology , disease
There is correlative evidence that impaired cerebral blood flow (CBF) regulation, in addition to promoting cognitive impairment, is also associated with alterations in gait and development of falls in elderly people. CBF is adjusted to neuronal activity via neurovascular coupling (NVC) and this mechanism becomes progressively impaired with age. To establish a direct cause and effect relationship between impaired NVC and gait abnormalities, we induced neurovascular uncoupling pharmacologically in young C57BL/6 mice by inhibiting the synthesis of vasodilator mediators involved in NVC. Treatment of mice with the epoxygenase inhibitor MSPPOH, the NO synthase inhibitor L‐NAME and the COX inhibitor indomethacin significantly decreased NVC mimicking the aging phenotype. Pharmacologically‐induced neurovascular uncoupling significantly decreased the dynamic gait parameter duty cycle, altered footfall patterns and significantly increased phase dispersion, indicating impaired interlimb coordination. Impaired NVC also tended to increase gait variability. Thus, selective experimental disruption of NVC causes subclinical gait abnormalities, supporting the importance of CBF in both cognitive function and gait regulation. Support or Funding Information This work was supported by grants from the American Heart Association, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and the National Institute on Aging This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .