Opening and closing doors in the fetal circulation impacts brain metabolism

该项目旨在测量通过特殊分流或门从脐带到胎儿大脑的血流量，并了解氧气输送的变化如何影响胎儿大脑的新陈代谢。这一基本现象将由一个多学科的国际团队开发的新的MRI方案来测量。该项目的预期成果包括在测量胎儿血流和脑代谢方面取得世界领先的进展，澳大利亚和加拿大的领先研究人员与他们的实习生交流了专业知识。从长远来看，这将对提高澳大利亚在胎儿生理学方面的研究能力提供重大好处，并可能导致监测或支持胎儿发育的新工具。

This project aims to measure blood flow from the umbilical cord through special shunts or doors to the fetal brain and to understand how changes in delivery of oxygen may impact fetal brain metabolism. This fundamental phenomenon will be measured with novel MRI protocols developed by a multidisciplinary, international team. Expected outcomes of this project include world-leading advances in measuring fetal blood flow and brain metabolism with exchange of expertise between leading researchers in Australia and Canada and their trainees. In the long-term, this should provide significant benefits in enhancing Australia’s research capacity in fetal physiology and may lead to new tools for monitoring or supporting fetal development.