Key Points
Researchers have now, for the first time, developed a bioluminescence imaging technique that maps the movement of oxygen in the brain..
The human brain functions solely on energy generated by a form of metabolism that depends on oxygen, however, how it is distributed in the brain remained an enigma, until now...
This provides us with a more detailed picture of what is occurring in the brain in real-time, allowing us to identify previously undetected areas of temporary hypoxia, which reflect changes in blood flow that can trigger neurological deficits says Maiken Nedergaard, co-director of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine...
While existing oxygen monitoring techniques provide information about a small area of the brain, the researchers observed, in real-time, the entire cortex of the mice..
While monitoring the mice, the researchers observed that specific tiny areas of the brain would intermittently go dark, sometimes for several seconds, meaning that the oxygen supply was cut off..
