Neurons entrain and shape an intrinsic arteriole rhythm that distributes blood across the cortical mantle

Abstract

The cerebral arteriole network distributes blood across cortex through branches whose diameters oscillate near a frequency fvaso ~ 0.1 Hz. We asked whether the spatiotemporal pattern of these vaso-oscillations reflects neuronal entrainment of an intrinsic vascular oscillation. Three findings support this: First, suppressing endothelial hyperpolarization left resting-state oscillations intact but weakened the vascular response to neural activity, showing that vasomotion originates within the arteriole network rather than following neuronal drive. Second, arterioles amplify sensory drive selectively rather than faithfully: neural activity near 0.1 Hz is resonantly enhanced to form a strong peak in the vascular response. Third, neuronal frequency sets spatial reach, and areas compete: when two neighboring cortical areas are driven simultaneously, the one nearer fvaso captures more vascular territory. Neurons therefore entrain an intrinsic vascular rhythm and stimulation frequency governs how vasomotion distributes blood, shapes functional brain images, and may influence interstitial fluid transport.