Assessment of cerebrovascular interactions and control in coronary artery disease patients undergoing anaesthesia through bivariate predictability measures

Cerebrovascular regulation, driven by mechanisms such as cerebral autoregulation and the Cushing’s reflex, plays a critical role in maintaining cerebral blood flow (CBF) adequate despite changes in arterial pressure (AP), since a dampening of CBF can lead to serious brain pathologies. This study investigates the causal and self-predictable dynamics of cerebrovascular interactions in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery, before and after propofol general anaesthesia. The dynamics of the pressure-to-flow and flow-to-pressure links between mean arterial pressure (MAP) and mean cerebral blood velocity (MCBv) is assessed using time-domain and frequency-domain measures of Granger Causality (GC) and Granger Autonomy (GA). The results indicate that while time-domain indices remain stable, frequency-domain measures reveal variations in the very-low-frequency, low-frequency, and high-frequency (HF) bands. The increased spectral GC in the HF band may be related to the effect of mechanical ventilation during anaesthesia. Additionally, a reduction in self-dependency of MCBv in the HF band reflects weakened internal regulatory mechanisms post-anaesthesia. In conclusion, propofol-induced suppression of sympathetic control and the effects of mechanical respiration increase the dependence of cerebral blood flow on arterial pressure in specific bands of cerebrovascular interest. These findings underscore the importance of frequency-domain analysis in detecting subtle cerebrovascular dynamics that time-domain measures may overlook.