Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Impacts Cerebral Blood Flow and Cerebrospinal Fluid Motion: A Phase Contrast MRI Study

The physiological impacts of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are not yet fully understood. In this study we developed an MRI protocol to assess the impact of CPAP on cerebral hemodynamics and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hydrodynamics in the upper cervical spine. MRI measurements were obtained on 14 healthy male subjects. The preliminary results indicated that the CSF pulsation decreased and venous outflow was altered with CPAP usage in comparison to the baseline values. Cerebral arterial flow was not impacted by CPAP usage. These findings support the hypothesis that the CSF system can act to dampen cerebral blood flow (CBF) pulsations.