Modulatory role of cyclooxygenase-2 in cerebrovascular coupling

To investigate the role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the cerebrovascular coupling, hemodynamic and neuronal responses to forepaw stimulation were measured in α-chloralose-anesthetized rats ( N = 18) before and after intravenous administration of Meloxicam (MEL), a preferential COX-2 inhibitor, and following a bolus of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2), a prominent vasodilatatory product of COX-2 catalyzed metabolism of arachidonic acid. The cerebral blood flow (CBF) and blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) response was quantified using continuous arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging. Neuronal activity was measured by recording somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) via intracranial electrodes. Both MEL and PGE 2 had a significant effect on the activation-elicited CBF ( P