BME PhD Preliminary Exam announcement for Vidhya Vijayakrishnan Nair (Y. Tong, advisor)

Research title: Human Cerebrospinal Fluid Movement across Wake and Sleep States – A Multimodal Imaging Study

Everyone is invited to attend the public presentation beginning at 9:00 AM.

Thesis Committee Members: Dr. Yunjie Tong (Chair), Dr. A.J. Schwichtenberg, Dr. Vitaliy L. Rayz, Dr. Yu-Chien Wu.

Date, time and place of the Preliminary Examination: August 16, 2023 at 9:00 AM at MJIS 2001 and Zoom.

Zoom Meeting Link

https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/91270653117?pwd=dXhCSUZTTjFNSkJIbUNwQ0dtbytPQT09

Meeting ID: 912 7065 3117

Passcode: 372987

Abstract: Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) movement within the brain ventricles and subarachnoid spaces of the cranium and the spine is critical to the health and function of the central nervous system. Recent studies have highlighted the role of CSF in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative, and neurodevelopmental disorders and the glymphatic system. CSF movement is also shown to be linked with sleep, with enhanced magnitudes of movement during Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Regardless of the prominent role played by CSF in maintaining optimal brain health, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms driving CSF movement in humans across wake/sleep states has not been reached. To this end, multimodal imaging studies were designed and implemented with simultaneous acquisition of CSF and brain hemodynamics with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, neural activity with Electroencephalography, and non-neuronal systemic physiology with peripheral functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. From these studies, we show that the CSF system responds to multiple physiological forces at the same time. Both low-frequency vasomotion and respiration simultaneously interact and regulate CSF movement in humans during wakefulness. We also found that non-neuronal systemic physiology significantly influences CSF movement even when autonomic neural contributions come into play during light NREM sleep. Therefore, interventions may increase CSF movement by manipulating systemic physiology. Finally, we attempt to modulate CSF movement through manipulation of these low frequency cerebrovascular oscillations via simple breathing challenges. Preliminary results demonstrate their potential in modulating CSF movement and may be developed into clinical protocols for boosting CSF movement across pathologies where low flow is a concern.