Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania say they have developed a novel optical method that uses a pair of macromolecular phosphorescent probes for the real-time monitoring of cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption (CMRO2), concurrently with cerebral blood flow (CBF) in a preclinical animal model. Their study “Real-time tracking of brain oxygen gradients and blood flow during functional activation” appears in Neurophotonics.

CMRO2, which indicates how much energy the brain is consuming at a given time, is a key index of brain activity. Direct quantification of CMRO2 is a significant objective in neurology, as CCMRO2 is a valuable measure of tissue pathology in steady-state conditions, such as those associated with cancer, traumatic brain damage, and stroke… Continue reading.