Activation-flow coupling with forepaw stimulation in female and male rats

Activation-flow coupling (AFC), the coupling of changes in cerebral blood f low (CBF) with neuronal function, is the basis for many functional neuroima ging techniques. Prior studies have shown that females have higher cerebral blood flow levels than males and that estrogen may affect the mediators in volved in AFC. No studies have compared AFC responses between males and fem ales. We assessed the AFC responses to forepaw stimulation using signal-ave raged laser Doppler (LD) measurements of CBF in alpha-chloralose anesthetiz ed female and male rats. Results for various stimulus parameters were simil ar for both sexes except at 2 Hz where females had a higher blood flow resp onse. These results suggest that the AFC responses in males and females are similar, but require further validation in humans. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scien ce Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.