The Blood-Brain Barrier and Its Intercellular Junctions in Age-Related Brain Disorders

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Vascular Biology

Background:

• Cognitive decline is a common aspect of aging.
• Age-associated cognitive dysfunction is mechanistically linked to brain microvasculature integrity.
• The blood-brain barrier (BBB), crucial for brain homeostasis, is regulated by tight junctions (TJs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of TJs in BBB function.
• To examine how aging, pathologies, and immune system aging affect TJs.
• To analyze TJ alterations in neurodegenerative disorders.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on TJs and BBB function.
• Analysis of TJ changes in aging and age-related diseases.
• Synthesis of TJ pathomechanisms in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's diseases, and schizophrenia.

Main Results:

• Age-related pathologies and immune system aging negatively impact TJs.
• TJ dysfunction is a common feature in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
• Schizophrenia and Huntington's disease also exhibit TJ-related BBB alterations.

Conclusions:

• BBB dysfunction is a shared characteristic across various neurological disorders.
• Understanding TJ mechanisms in BBB injury is vital for developing new therapeutics.
• Targeting TJ integrity may offer novel strategies to improve cognitive health during aging.