Poulin, Dr. Marc

Education:

D.Phil. (1999), Faculty of Physiological Sciences, University of Oxford (New College), Oxford, United Kingdom.
Ph.D. (1993), Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Western Ontario, London Ontario.
M.A. (1988), Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Western Ontario.
HBPHE (1986), Faculty of Kinesiology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario.
Certificate of Bilingualism (1986), Laurentian University.

Specialty:

Dr. Poulin is an Associate Professor in the Faculties of Medicine (Departments of Physiology & Biophysics and Clinical Neurosciences) and Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on the mechanisms that regulate cerebral blood flow in young healthy humans, how these mechanisms become altered with ageing, and the role of interventions such as exercise on the cerebral circulation.

Current Work:

The cerebral circulation is endowed with complex regulatory mechanisms to ensure a continuous and adequate blood (and oxygen) supply to the brain. Under normal circumstances, one of the most potent regulators of cerebral blood flow (CBF) is the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2), and to a lesser extent, the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2), in the arterial blood. The physiological significance of the effects of changes in the arterial PCO2 (i.e. hypercapnia and hypocapnia) and reductions in arterial PO2 (i.e. hypoxia) on CBF is to increase cerebral perfusion in an attempt to maintain oxygen delivery when the oxygen supply to the brain is compromised or reduced. The regulation of CBF by arterial PCO2 and PO2 is a fundamental regulatory process that can become significantly impaired with many pathophysiological states and environmental conditions, including for example disease processes such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea, stroke, ischemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes, by ageing, and upon exposure to the hypoxia of altitude.

Desired Outcome: