Effects of high static pressures on human cerebral arteries in vitro.

Static elastic properties were obtained from pressure, volume, and length measurements of 34 isolated human cerebral arteries from 23 circles of Willis of patients aged 23-76 years. No significant difference in initial or final elastance was observed with age or branch in the circle of Willis. Twenty-four of the arteries from 18 circles of Willis were then subjected to transmural pressures of 200-300 mm Hg for periods of less than or equal to 5 minutes and the elastic properties restudied. In general, this had little effect on the arteries except for a significant increase in the initial radius for the less than or equal to 40 year age group. In the less than or equal to 40 year group, female arteries tended to show a greater increase in initial elastance than the males. Histological studies to look for elastin fragmentation in the intima were inconclusive.