Symposium

Navigating the Complexities: Autonomic and Cerebrovascular Responses Post-central Nervous System Trauma 4051

Corresponding Presenter(s)

• 

  Shanti M. Pinto, MD, MSCS (she/her/hers)

  Associate Professor
  University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
  Dallas, Texas, United States

  Slides

Presenter(s)

• 

  Sue Ann Sisto, PT, MA, PhD, FACRM

  Professor and Chair
  University at Buffalo
  Buffalo, NY, United States
• 

  Wenjie Ji, MS

  PhD Student
  University of Buffalo
  Buffalo, New York, United States
• 

  Tasha Champagne, PhD (she/her/hers)

  Post-Doctoral Researcher
  University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
  Garland, Texas, United States

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction frequently occurs following central nervous system trauma, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal cord injury (SCI). The autonomic nervous system plays a crucial role in cerebrovascular blood flow - the sympathetic nervous system decreases cerebrovascular blood flow through vasoconstriction, and the parasympathetic nervous system increases cerebrovascular blood flow through vasodilation. This session will focus on the impact of autonomic nervous system dysfunction on cerebrovascular function and cognition after TBI and SCI. We will review the current state of the science regarding autonomic nervous system dysfunction and its link with changes in cerebrovascular autoregulation and cognitive function after TBI and SCI. We will discuss methods to objectively assess autonomic nervous system function and highlight our ongoing research in these populations.

Learning Objectives:

• To describe changes to autonomic nervous system function that occur following traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.
• To explain how autonomic nervous system dysfunction can impact cerebrovascular function and cognition after traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.
• To identify ways to objectively measure autonomic nervous system function in human subjects.