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Updated: Feb 4, 2026
08:37
Creation of a Rodent Model of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm by Blocking Adventitial Vasa Vasorum Perfusion
Published on: November 8, 2017
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Correlation of Adventitial Vasa Vasorum with Intracranial Atherosclerosis: A Postmortem Study
Lu Zheng1, Wen Jie Yang2, Chun Bo Niu3
1Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Journal of Stroke
|October 13, 2018
Summary
Vasa vasorum (VV) are present in nearly half of human intracranial arteries, particularly in vertebral arteries. Their presence in vertebral arteries correlates with more severe atherosclerosis, including heavier plaque and calcification.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Biology
- Cerebrovascular Disease
- Atherosclerosis Research
Background:
- Vasa vasorum (VV) are small blood vessels supplying the walls of larger arteries.
- Historically, VV were considered rare or absent in small-caliber intracranial arteries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and distribution of adventitial VV in human cerebral arteries.
- To examine the association between VV and intracranial atherosclerosis.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 157 human cerebral artery specimens from autopsies (subjects aged 45+).
- Examination of middle cerebral artery (MCA), vertebral artery (VA), and basilar artery (BA) for adventitial VV.
- Assessment of VV distribution and characteristics of co-existing atherosclerotic lesions.
Main Results:
- Adventitial VV were found in 47% of intracranial arteries examined.
- VV were most prevalent in vertebral arteries (64%), followed by basilar (19%) and MCA (18%).
- In vertebral arteries, the presence of VV was significantly associated with heavier plaque load, increased luminal stenosis, concentric lesions, and denser intraplaque calcification.
Conclusions:
- Adventitial VV are present in a significant proportion of human intracranial arteries.
- VV in intracranial vertebral arteries are linked to more advanced atherosclerotic changes.
- Findings suggest a potential role for VV in the pathogenesis of intracranial atherosclerosis.
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