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Vascular Contributions to Brain Health: Cross-Cutting Themes

Steven M Greenberg1

  • 1J. Philip Kistler Stroke Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

Stroke
|January 10, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Successful aging hinges on brain health, particularly vascular brain health. This update explores cerebrovascular pathologies, risk factors, and treatments for cognitive impairment, emphasizing lifelong research and diverse populations.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Gerontology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Growing life expectancy highlights brain health's importance for successful aging.
  • Vascular brain health is critical for overall brain health.
  • Cerebrovascular pathologies significantly contribute to age-related cognitive impairment and are treatable.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a focused update on vascular brain health from multiple perspectives.
  • To explore pathophysiologic mechanisms, neuroimaging, risk factors, social determinants, and treatments.
  • To identify shared themes crucial for advancing research and interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of current research on vascular brain health.
  • Multidisciplinary approach integrating various scientific and clinical perspectives.
  • Highlighting key themes across different research angles.

Main Results:

  • Vascular brain injury pathogenesis and progression occur over a lifetime.
  • There's a critical need for research in underrepresented populations (non-White, non-affluent).
  • Improved tools are needed for studying cerebral small vessels, and brain recovery mechanisms are important for resilience.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the interplay between vascular and neurodegenerative processes is key.
  • Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential for improving brain health and promoting successful aging.
  • Addressing vascular brain health requires a comprehensive, lifelong, and inclusive approach.

Keywords:
atherosclerosisbraininflammationmagnetic resonance imagingsmoking

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