URL
Stage
Normal Science
Paradigm framing
Current neurovascular coupling (NVC) and brain imaging paradigms
Highlights
The study uses established NVC concepts and advanced imaging techniques to investigate the role of astrocytes in NVC within the existing paradigm. There is no significant challenge to current paradigms but the study may inspire further studies.
The research falls squarely within the normal science stage of Kuhn’s cycle. The study operates within the accepted paradigm of NVC and uses advanced imaging technology to investigate a specific aspect of the phenomenon, namely the role of astrocytes at the arteriole-capillary junctions. While the findings reveal a previously unknown mechanism of astrocytic control over blood flow, they do not fundamentally challenge the existing NVC paradigm. The study’s contribution is to refine the understanding of NVC within the current paradigm by providing a more detailed mechanism of its regulation. The results may inspire further investigation and potentially contribute to a model drift or even a crisis in the future, but for now, the research strengthens and adds detail to our current understanding of NVC.
The research falls squarely within the normal science stage of Kuhn’s cycle. The study operates within the accepted paradigm of NVC and uses advanced imaging technology to investigate a specific aspect of the phenomenon, namely the role of astrocytes at the arteriole-capillary junctions. While the findings reveal a previously unknown mechanism of astrocytic control over blood flow, they do not fundamentally challenge the existing NVC paradigm. The study’s contribution is to refine the understanding of NVC within the current paradigm by providing a more detailed mechanism of its regulation. The results may inspire further investigation and potentially contribute to a model drift or even a crisis in the future, but for now, the research strengthens and adds detail to our current understanding of NVC.