Dysfunction of the Blood-Brain Barrier as an Early Stage in the Progression to Dementia

The blood-brain barrier is a lining of specialized cells that surrounds blood vessels passing through the brain. The barrier permits only certain molecules and cells to pass, isolating the tissue environment of the brain from that of the result of the body. When the blood-brain barrier leaks, an immediate consequence is inflammation in brain tissue, the result of the brain's immune cells reacting to the presence of inappropriate molecules. Unfortunately the integrity of the blood-brain barrier degrades with age and the accumulation of molecular damage, as is the case for all other tissues. The resulting inflammation is an important mechanism in the progression towards neurodegenerative disease and dementia. As noted here, degradation of the blood-brain barrier may also prevent necessary molecules from being transported into the brain in sufficient amounts. That also may be an important early determinant of loss of function in brain tissue. The vascular endothelium in the brain is an essential part of the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) because of its very tight structure to secure a functional and molecular separation of the brain from the rest of the body and to protect neurons from pathogens and toxins. Impaired transport of metabolites across the BBB due to its increasing dysfunction affects brain health and cognitive functioning, thus providing a starting point of neurodegenerative diseases. The term "cerebral metabolic syndrome" is proposed to highlight the imp...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs