Aging and cerebrovascular dysfunction: contribution of hypertension, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and immunotherapy

• Published in: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2010-10, Vol.1207 (1), p.58-70
• Main Authors: Vasilevko, Vitaly, Passos, Giselle F., Quiring, Daniel, Head, Elizabeth, Kim, Richard C., Fisher, Mark, Cribbs, David H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging - physiology; Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid beta-Peptides - antagonists & inhibitors; Amyloid beta-Peptides - immunology; Animals; Atherosclerosis; Blood-Brain Barrier; Brain; cerebral amyloid angiopathy; Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy - etiology; Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy - therapy; Cerebral Hemorrhage - prevention & control; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - etiology; Hypertension - therapy; Immunotherapy; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis - etiology; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis - therapy
• ISSN: 0077-8923; 1749-6632; 1749-6632
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05786.x

Age‐related cerebrovascular dysfunction contributes to ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhages (ICHs), microbleeds, cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), and cognitive decline. Importantly, there is increasing recognition that this dysfunction plays a critical secondary role in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Atherosclerosis, hypertension, and CAA are the most common causes of blood–brain barrier (BBB) lesions. The accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) in the cerebrovascular system is a significant risk factor for ICH and has been linked to endothelial transport failure and blockage of perivascular drainage. Moreover, recent anti‐Aβ immunotherapy clinical trials demonstrated efficient clearance of parenchymal amyloid deposits but have been plagued by CAA‐associated adverse events. Although management of hypertension and atherosclerosis can reduce the incidence of ICH, there are currently no approved therapies for attenuating CAA. Thus, there is a critical need for new strategies that improve BBB function and limit the development of β‐amyloidosis in the cerebral vasculature.