2018 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting-539. Sphenopalatine Ganglion Stimulation Elicits a Frequency and Time-Dependent Effect on Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability

539. Sphenopalatine Ganglion Stimulation Elicits a Frequency and Time-Dependent Effect on Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability

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Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Richard Schmidt, a fifth-year resident at Thomas Jefferson University, presents data from a lab study on blood-brain barrier modulation using sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) stimulation. The blood-brain barrier prevents certain molecules from entering the brain, but there are cases, such as brain tumors or chronic degenerative conditions, where we may want to bypass this barrier. Schmidt's study focused on the SPG, which provides parasympathetic innervation to the anterior circulation. Previous research showed that electrical stimulation of the SPG dilates blood vessels and increases cerebral blood flow. Schmidt's study aimed to quantify this response and explore frequency and regional differences. They found that low-frequency stimulation at 10 Hz resulted in the highest response, while high frequency and continuous stimulation diminished the effect. There were no significant regional differences in blood-brain barrier modulation. This research could have implications for therapeutic interventions in conditions requiring barrier bypass. The video was presented by Richard Schmidt, with acknowledgments to his lab and funding from the Neuroscience Institute and a charitable trust.

Asset Caption

Richard F. Schmidt, MD

Keywords

blood-brain barrier modulation

sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation

cerebral blood flow

low-frequency stimulation

therapeutic interventions