Cerebral Vascular Biology in Health and Disease

The cerebral vasculature matches oxygen and nutrient delivery to the dynamic needs of the brain. There are several molecules and pathways that have been shown to play a role in the regulation of cerebrovascular function including nitric oxide, K+ channels, Rho kinase, reactive oxygen species, and transient receptor potential channels. In this chapter, we firstly summarize some of these key mechanisms that regulate cerebral vascular tone under physiologic conditions. Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis have profound effects on the regulation of cerebrovascular function and are major risk factors for stroke. In this chapter, we will also summarize what is currently known about the effects of hypertension and atherosclerosis on oxidative stress, endothelial function, and inflammation.