Age-related reduction in visually evoked cerebral blood flow responses

The influence of aging on photoreactive flow changes in the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) was investigated in 38 healthy volunteers aged 20-81 pears. Mean blood Row velocity (MBFV) was measured at rest and during 10-Hz photic stimulation by transcranial Doppler sonography. The amplitude of the evoked flow response significantly decreased with age (r = -0.39; P < 0.001). In a group of elderly subjects (60-81 years), the evoked blood Row velocity increase was 10.8 +/- 2.7%, which is less than in young subjects aged 20-39 years (14.7 +/- 4.3%; p = 0.001). We conclude that normal aging affects photoreactive flow changes in the occipital lobe. This may limit the application of Functional. imaging studies based on measurements of blood flow changes in the elderly. (C) 2001 Elsevier Source Inc. All rights reserved.