Vertebral artery hypoplasia influences age-related differences in blood flow of the large intracranial arteries
Kathleen B. Miller,
Samuel J. Gallo,
Leonardo A. Rivera-Rivera,
Adam T. Corkery,
Anna J. Howery,
Sterling C. Johnson,
Howard A. Rowley,
Oliver Wieben,
Jill N. Barnes
Affiliations
Kathleen B. Miller
Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
Samuel J. Gallo
Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
Leonardo A. Rivera-Rivera
Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
Adam T. Corkery
Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
Anna J. Howery
Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
Sterling C. Johnson
Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William. S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
Howard A. Rowley
Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
Oliver Wieben
Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
Jill N. Barnes
Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Corresponding author at: Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Kinesiology, 1300 University Ave, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Our purpose was to compare cerebral blood flow in the large intracranial vessels between healthy adults with (VAH+) and without (No VAH) vertebral artery hypoplasia. We also evaluated age-related differences in regional blood flow through the large cerebral arteries. Healthy young (n = 20; age = 25 ± 3 years) and older adults (n = 19; age = 61 ± 5 years) underwent 4D flow MRI scans to evaluate blood flow in the internal carotid arteries (ICA) and basilar artery (BA). VAH was determined retrospectively from 4D flow MRI using both structural (vessel diameter ≤ 2 mm) and flow criteria (flow ≤ 50 mL/min). We identified 5 young and 5 older adults with unilateral VAH (prevalence = 26%). ICA flow was lower in the VAH+ group compared with the No VAH group (367 ± 75 mL/min vs. 432 ± 92 mL/min, respectively; p < 0.05). There was no difference in BA flow between VAH+ and No VAH (110 ± 20 mL/min vs. 126 ± 40 mL/min, respectively; p = 0.24). When comparing age-related differences in blood flow in the No VAH group, older adults demonstrated lower BA flow compared with young adults (111 ± 38 mL/min vs. 140 ± 38 mL/min, respectively; p < 0.05) but not ICA flow (428 ± 89 mL/min vs. 436 ± 98 mL/min, respectively; p = 0.82). In contrast, in the VAH+ group, older adults had lower ICA flow compared with young adults (312 ± 65 mL/min vs. 421 ± 35 mL/min, respectively; p < 0.01), but not BA flow (104 ± 16 mL/min vs. 117 ± 23 mL/min, respectively; p = 0.32). Our results suggest that the presence of VAH is associated with lower ICA blood flow. Furthermore, VAH may contribute to the variability in the age-related differences in cerebral blood flow in healthy adults.
