Short Term Estradiol Administration Does Not Restore Endothelin-B Receptor-Mediated Vasodilation in Postmenopausal Women.

The endothelin-B receptor (ETR) mediates vasodilation in young women, an effect that is absent in postmenopausal women. We have previously demonstrated that ETR-mediated vasodilation is regulated by estradiol (E) in young women; however, the impact of E on ETR function in postmenopausal women remains unknown. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that E exposure restores ETR-mediated dilation in postmenopausal women.

Effect of insulin on indices of cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular compliance in young adults.

Insulin has important vasodilatory effects in the peripheral circulation, but less is known about insulin's role in cerebrovascular control. Herein, we hypothesized both systemic (intravenous) and local (intranasal) insulin administration would increase indices of cerebral blood flow and reduce cerebrovascular compliance (Ci) in young adults. Participants were assigned to one of four separate protocols.

All-optics technique for monitoring absolute cerebral blood flow: validation against magnetic resonance imaging perfusion.

Significance: The ability to monitor cerebral blood flow (CBF) at the bedside is essential to managing critical-care patients with neurological emergencies. Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) is ideal because it is non-invasive, portable, and inexpensive. We investigated a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) approach for converting DCS measurements into physiological units of blood flow.

Characterizing vascular and hormonal changes in women across the life span: a cross-sectional analysis.

Vascular dysfunction, marked by lower endothelial function and increased aortic stiffness, is a nontraditional risk factor that precedes the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the age at which these changes in vascular function occur in women and the degree to which reproductive hormones mediate these changes has not been characterized. Women free from major disease were enrolled across the adult life span (aged 18-70 yr, = 140).