Neuro-Vascular Coupling at the Optic Nerve Head Studied by Laser Doppler Flowmetry

摘要

Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) has been applied to investigate the effect of increased retinal neural activity induced by diffuse luminance flicker stimulation and dark/light transition on blood flow in the optic nerve head (ONH). We describe the theoretical basis, instrumentation and software for LDF measurements of the blood flow response. The characteristics of this response strongly suggest a coupling between blood flow and neural activity at the ONH. Some of the mechanisms underlying the neuro-vascular coupling are discussed and problems that remain to be studied to better understand this coupling in normal and pathological conditions are mentioned.