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., …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