Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is the blood supply to the
brain in a given period of time. In an adult, CBF is typically 750 millilitres per minute or 15% of the
cardiac output. This equates to an average
perfusion of 50 to 54 millilitres of blood per 100 grams of brain tissue per minute. CBF is tightly regulated to meet the brain's
metabolic demands. Too much blood (a condition known as
hyperemia) can raise
intracranial pressure (ICP), which can compress and damage delicate brain tissue. Too little blood flow (
ischemia) results if blood flow to the brain is below 18 to 20 ml per 100 g per minute, and tissue death occurs if flow dips below 8 to 10 ml per 100 g per minute. In brain tissue, a
biochemical cascade known as the
ischemic cascade is triggered when the tissue becomes ischemic, potentially resulting in damage to and the death of
brain cells. Medical professionals must take steps to maintain proper CBF in patients who have conditions like
shock,
stroke,
cerebral edema, and
traumatic brain injury.