Figure 6.

Region-specific brain perfusion is not altered in smooth muscle cell (SMC) K_IR2.1^−/− mice at rest and with increased systemic blood pressure. (a) Representative arterial spin-labeled MR brain perfusion maps. Scans were done in a posterior-to-anterior direction and the volume of brain scanned was divided into 5 coronal slices. Resting cerebral blood flow was measured in control and SMC K_IR2.1^−/− mice. Scans were repeated after blood pressure challenge with an intraperitoneal phenylephrine injection. Figure shows slices from 2 regions of the brain (red boxes) spanning cerebral nuclei, hippocampus, thalamus, and hypothalamus. (b) Baseline perfusion in several major brain structures was not significantly different between control and tamoxifen-induced mice. The blood pressure challenge caused a modest but significant rise in cerebral blood flow to a similar extent in control and SMC K_IR2.1^−/− animals. Unpaired t-test was performed for control (n = 7 mice) vs. SMC K_IR2.1^−/− (n = 11 mice) comparison; paired t-test was performed for baseline vs. phenylephrine-treatment. *P < 0.05 compared to baseline control.