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Sexually dimorphic differences in angiogenesis markers predict brain aging trajectories
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|July 28, 2023
Summary
Aberrant angiogenesis impacts cognitive aging and dementia risk. This study found sex-specific links between blood angiogenic factors and brain aging, highlighting therapeutic potential for vascular cognitive impairment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Cardiovascular Biology
Background:
- Aberrant angiogenesis is implicated in cognitive impairment and dementia, yet its role in human brain aging remains understudied, particularly in diverse cohorts.
- Most research on angiogenesis and cognition uses model organisms, limiting direct translation to human brain aging processes.
- Identifying circulating biomarkers of angiogenesis relevant to human cognitive trajectories is crucial for developing preventative strategies for dementia.
Approach:
- Evaluated associations between circulating blood markers of angiogenesis and brain aging in two human cohorts (n=435, age 74 ± 9) using longitudinal cognitive assessments, biospecimens, and brain imaging.
- Employed machine learning and traditional statistical methods to analyze sex-specific relationships between plasma angiogenic factors and cognitive and neuroimaging outcomes.
- Investigated the role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) as a predictor of cognitive trajectories in the context of brain aging.
Key Points:
- Sex-specific associations were observed between plasma angiogenic growth factors and brain aging outcomes, including executive function and brain atrophy.
- In younger women, higher angiogenesis markers correlated with better executive function and less brain atrophy; this association reversed around age 75.
- Elevated levels of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) predicted more favorable cognitive trajectories, suggesting a protective role in brain aging.
Conclusions:
- Aberrant angiogenesis is relevant to human brain aging and cognitive trajectories, with implications for preventing cognitive impairment and dementia.
- The findings highlight the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in angiogenesis research related to cognitive aging.
- Basic fibroblast growth factor emerges as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for mitigating age-related cognitive decline and vascular cognitive impairment.
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