Cerebral perfusion (CBF)

Cerebral perfusion refers to the physiological process of blood delivery to the brain's capillary bed, which is essential for maintaining neuronal viability by supplying oxygen and glucose and removing metabolic byproducts (StatPearls, NBK534830). It is quantitatively defined by the Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) and is driven by the Cerebral Perfusion Pressure (CPP), the gradient between mean arterial pressure and intracranial pressure. The brain maintains stable perfusion across a range of systemic pressures through a process known as cerebral autoregulation, which involves the constriction or dilation of cerebral arterioles. Impairment of this process is a central feature in the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, and various forms of dementia (NIH, NINDS). While cerebral perfusion is a physiological state rather than a specific molecular target like a receptor or enzyme, it is a critical clinical endpoint for hemodynamic and neuroprotective therapies. Drugs such as vasopressors, osmotic diuretics, and certain calcium channel blockers are frequently employed in clinical settings to optimize perfusion and prevent secondary neurological damage.

Other names

Cerebral blood flowBrain perfusionCerebral perfusion pressureCPP

Pharmacological agents modulate cerebral perfusion by altering systemic mean arterial pressure (MAP), reducing intracranial pressure (ICP), or directly influencing cerebral vascular resistance through adrenergic signaling or calcium channel blockade (StatPearls, NBK537271).