Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 11, 2026
05:12
A Mouse Model for Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Based on Needle-guided Asymmetric Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Stenosis
Published on: November 22, 2024
1.7K
Dysfunction of mouse cerebral arteries during early aging
Matilde Balbi1,2, Mitrajit Ghosh1, Thomas A Longden3
1Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University of Munich Medical Center, Munich, Germany.
Summary
Cerebrovascular dysfunction begins in aging mice with impaired microvessel response to CO2, months before overall cerebral blood flow changes are detectable. This early microcirculation dysfunction impacts neurovascular coupling.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Vascular Biology
- Aging Research
Background:
- Aging impairs cerebral blood flow (CBF) responses, increasing stroke and dementia risk.
- Early stages and affected components of age-related cerebrovascular dysfunction remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate microcirculation function across aging in mice.
- To identify the earliest signs of age-related cerebrovascular dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Assessed microcirculation in mice (6-week, 8-month, 12-month-old) using CO2 inhalation and forepaw stimulation.
- Measured pial vessel dilation (intravital microscopy) and CBF (laser Doppler fluxmetry).
- Evaluated neurovascular coupling and astrocytic Ca(2+) in brain slices from 18-month-old mice.
Main Results:
- No significant changes in overall CBF response to CO2 were observed up to 12 months of age.
- A significant, age-dependent loss of CO2 reactivity in pial vessels began at 8 months.
- Neurovascular coupling was also significantly affected by 8 months of age.
Conclusions:
- Cerebral vessel aging is not uniform; dysfunction initiates in pial microvessels.
- Microvascular changes precede detectable alterations in global CBF, highlighting early functional decline.
- Early microvascular impairment at 8 months impacts neurovascular coupling, preceding widespread CBF changes.
