Assessment of cerebrovascular responses to physiological stimuli in identical twins using multimodal imaging and computational fluid dynamics

Abstract

There is acknowledged variability in the Circle of Willis in the general population, yet the structure and function relationship of the cerebrovasculature is poorly understood. Using a combination of magnetic resonance imaging, high-resolution Doppler ultrasound, and computational fluid dynamic modeling, we show that monozygotic twins exhibit differences in cerebrovascular structure and function when exposed to physiological stimuli. These data suggest that the morphology, function, and health of cerebrovascular arteries are not primarily genetically determined.