Arterial Stiffening with Age Correlates with Structural Damage to the Brain

In this study, we show that an increased rate of arterial stiffening is associated with lower white matter (WM) microstructural integrity and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in older age. Furthermore, these associations were present in diffuse brain areas, suggesting that exposure to excess pulsatility may result in a widespread damaging effect on the fragile cerebral microstructure. Cognitive function at follow-up related more closely with baseline arterial stiffness rather than rate of arterial stiffening. Taken together, these findings suggest that although faster rates of arterial stiffening in the transition to old age may negatively impact brain structure and function, long-term exposure to higher levels of arterial stiffness prior to this point may be the most important determinant for future cognitive ability. While aortic stiffening has predominantly been studied in the context of CVD, recent evidence suggests that large artery dysfunction may also play a role in dementia. Indeed, patients with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia reportedly have higher levels of aortic stiffness relative to cognitively healthy adults. Aortic stiffening is a hallmark of vascular ageing and may lead to a heightened state of oxidative and inflammatory damage within the cerebral tissues due to an increased penetrance of excess pulsatility into the fragile microcirculation of the brain. These changes have been shown to disrupt endothelial cell function and the blood brain barrier i...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs