Investigating the role of age-related vascular changes on brain oxygenation

Abstract

Using various optical techniques: intrinsic imaging, optical coherence tomography and two photon microscopy, we investigate changes in the brain functional response with age and its relation to microvasculature. We identify brain vessel pulsatility as a contributor to flow mediated dilation and investigate the consequences of these changes on brain oxygenation. Finally, a model of the BOLD response is built from first principles to translate these results to the macroscopic world.

Biography

Prof. Lesage is a multidisciplinary researcher that initially pursued studies in physics at Université Laval to pursue his graduate studies at Cambridge University, UK and then at the CEA Saclay/Université Paris-sud where he obtained his PhD in theoretical physics. Following postdoctoral fellowships, he developed an interest for imaging working on fluorescence imaging at ART: Advanced Research Technology. Starting in 2005, he became professor at École Polytechnique where he now leads a team of seventeen people working on image processing, microscopy, MRI and ultrasound. His main interest is vascular imaging using optical techniques and the impact of vascular changes on the brain. He is also associated with the research centre of the Montreal Heart Institute.