Comparative Features of Carotid and Cerebral Hemodynamics between Adult Rhesus Macaques and Humans

• Main Author: Yumei Liu, MD, PhD, Yang Hua, MD, Jingzhi Li, MD, PhD, Yunlu Tao, MD, Di Wu, MD, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Editorial Office of Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy 2021-03-01
• Series: Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy
• Subjects: |rhesus macaques|humans|cerebrovascular hemodynamics|ultrasonography
• Online Access: http://www.journaladvancedultrasound.com:81/fileup/2576-2516/PDF/1616728841376-691517487.pdf

Objective: Although rhesus macaques and human beings share many fundamental biological characteristics, including underlying genes and physiological processes, the similarity and difference of cerebrovascular hemodynamic have not been well investigated. We aimed to examine and compare the intracranial and extracranial hemodynamics between these two species. Methods: A total of 10 adult male rhesus and 20 age-matched healthy men were recruited in this study. The somatometric measurements (BMI, HR, and BP) and ultrasonography examinations (carotid arteries and middle cerebral artery) were performed on both groups. Results: We found a few similarities in somatometric measurements (BMI, waist-hip ratio and mean artery pressure), mean velocity ratios of internal carotid artery (ICA)/external carotid artery (ECA) and ICA/vertebral artery (VA), and the resistance index both in ICA and ECA between rhesus macaques and humans. However, faster HR (103 ± 12 vs. 73 ± 14 beat/min, P < 0.01), higher pulse pressure (89.5 ± 8.9 vs. 48.1 ± 6.3 mmHg, P < 0.01), smaller diameter ratio of bilateral ICA/ECAdia (P < 0.01), elevated middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (P < 0.01) and higher cerebrovascular resistance (2.42 ± 0.59 vs. 1.54 ± 0.35, P < 0.01) were found in rhesus when compared with humans. Conclusions: This study leads to a better understanding of cerebral neuroanatomy in rhesus macaques, and it has several important implications for future cerebrovascular translational researches.