Indian Journal of Clinical Anatomy and Physiology

Page: 460-463

Background: The effect of rotation of head movement on cerebral artery blood flow in normal subjects has been widely studied. Many factors effect blood flow through the vertebral artery such as rotation of head, variably sized arteries, atheroma, tortuous vertebral arteries, carotid sinus compression etc.
Objective: To determine the effect of head and neck movement on the cranial blood flow in cervical spodylosis patients with reticulopathy.
Material and methods: Fifty participants (23 male, 27female) with informed consent (20-70 years) participated in this study. Subjects with severe hypertension, cardiovascular, liver, kidney or other life threatening diseases were excluded. The changes in the Anterior, Middle, and Posterior cerebral arteries blood flow between the neutral (face to front) and rotated head positions (flexion and extension) was measured with Trans-cranial Doppler Method in healthy and Cervical Spondylosis with reticulopathy patients.
Results: No significant differences in the afferent cerebral blood flow of the neutral and of the changed head positions in cervical spondylosis patient was found. In Cervical Spodylosis patients with reticulopathy, the mean values of cerebral blood flow were insignificantly different as compared to neutral position, however according to the data collected till now, the lowest blood inflow level was recorded during extension of the head. Flow changes were less than 10% considered to be normal.
Conclusion: The flow changes in the afferent cerebral arteries of healthy subjects were insignificant. When a person has cervical spondylosis with reticulopathy, flexion and extension of head may diminish blood flow through the vertebral artery in its course through the cervical spine. Further studies and data are required to establish association.

Keywords: Cervical spondylosis, Cranial blood flow, TCD