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Blood vessels and parkinsonism
Carlos Barcia1, Marina E Emborg, Etienne C Hirsch
1Experimental Neurology and Neurosurgery, Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, School of Medicine, Campus Espinardo,University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain. barcia@um.es
Frontiers in Bioscience : a Journal and Virtual Library
|February 10, 2004
Summary
In Parkinson's disease (PD), brain microangiogenesis may be a double-edged sword. While potentially neuroprotective, it also allows harmful substances and cells to enter the brain, contributing to neuronal damage.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Vascular Biology
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
Background:
- Blood vessels supply nutrients to the brain parenchyma.
- Diseased neurons can trigger microangiogenesis via glial cell factors, potentially for neuroprotection.
- Parkinson's disease (PD) involves nigral degeneration, gliosis, and microvascular changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of vascular-related phenomena in neuronal damage in Parkinson's disease.
- To explore the dual implications of microangiogenesis in PD pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on neurovascular interactions in PD.
- Analysis of mechanisms linking microangiogenesis to neuronal injury and protection.
Main Results:
- Microangiogenesis in PD may serve a dual role: a potential protective response and a pathway for neurotoxins and inflammatory cells.
- Increased vascular permeability associated with microangiogenesis can facilitate the entry of detrimental substances into the brain parenchyma.
- These vascular changes are linked to neuronal cell death observed in Parkinson's disease.
Conclusions:
- Vascular-related phenomena, particularly microangiogenesis, are significantly implicated in the mechanisms of neuronal damage in Parkinson's disease.
- Understanding these vascular contributions is crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies for PD.
- The review highlights the complex interplay between the brain's vasculature and neurodegeneration in PD.