Alterations in the blood brain barrier in ageing cerebral cortex in relationship to Alzheimer-type pathology: A study in the MRC-CFAS population neuropathology cohort

Viggars, Andrew P.; Wharton, Stephen B.; Simpson, Julie E.; Matthews, Fiona E.; Brayne, Carol; Savva, George M.; Garwood, Claire; Drew, David; Shaw, Pamela J.; Ince, Paul G.

Abstract

Impairment of the blood brain barrier (BBB) in human brain ageing and its relationship to Alzheimer-type pathology remains poorly defined. We have investigated the BBB in temporal cortex of brain donations from a population-representative sample of 92 participants from the Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (MRC CFAS), a longitudinal study with a programme of brain donation. BBB alteration was investigated by immunohistochemistry to albumin and fibrinogen and to the tight junction proteins claudin-5, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin. BBB leakage showed wide population-variation and increased with progression of Alzheimer-type pathology, though with considerable overlap between different levels of Alzheimer-type pathology. This was accompanied by increased mean vascular density, but not by down-regulation of tight junction proteins. ZO-1 and occludin were also expressed in glia. Mechanisms leading to BBB leakage in brain ageing remain to be defined, but the population-variation in BBB changes and its early increase in relationship to Alzheimer-type pathology progression suggest that BBB dysfunction contributes to brain ageing. © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Citation

Viggars, A. P., Wharton, S. B., Simpson, J. E., Matthews, F. E., Brayne, C., Savva, G. M., Garwood, C., Drew, D., Shaw, P. J., & Ince, P. G. (2011). Alterations in the blood brain barrier in ageing cerebral cortex in relationship to Alzheimer-type pathology: A study in the MRC-CFAS population neuropathology cohort. Neuroscience letters, 505(1), 25-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2011.09.049

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Nov 7, 2011
• Deposit Date: Dec 8, 2023
• Journal: Neuroscience Letters
• Print ISSN: 0304-3940
• Electronic ISSN: 1872-7972
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Volume: 505
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 25-30
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2011.09.049
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4454821