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Updated: May 4, 2026

In Vitro Aggregation Assays Using Hyperphosphorylated Tau Protein
Published on: January 2, 2015
Cerebral hypoperfusion reduces tau accumulation
Ghupurjan Gheni1, Mitsuru Shinohara1,2, Masami Masuda-Suzukake3
1Department of Aging Neurobiology, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 7-430 Morioka, Obu, Aichi, 474-8511, Japan.
Insights
Cerebrovascular diseases like stroke may reduce Alzheimer's disease (AD) tau pathology. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion lowers tau accumulation, potentially via enhanced microglial activity and cathepsin D, offering insights into multimorbidity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuropathology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) frequently co-occurs with cerebrovascular diseases.
- The specific impact of cerebrovascular conditions on AD pathology is not well-defined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between cerebrovascular diseases and Alzheimer's disease pathology.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which cerebral hypoperfusion influences tau accumulation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of clinical and neuropathological data from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) database.
- Utilized a mouse model with bilateral common carotid artery stenosis and tau seed injection to study chronic cerebral hypoperfusion's effects on tau pathology in neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes.
Main Results:
- Clinical stroke history and lacunar infarcts correlated with reduced neurofibrillary tangle pathology in human data.
- Cerebral hypoperfusion in the animal model decreased tau pathology across multiple cell types.
- Activated astrocytes and microglia were observed under conditions of tau pathology and hypoperfusion.
- Lysosomal enzyme cathepsin D levels increased with cerebral hypoperfusion.
Conclusions:
- Cerebral hypoperfusion appears to reduce tau accumulation by increasing microglial phagocytosis of tau and enhancing degradation via cathepsin D.
- Findings illuminate the interplay between tau pathology and cerebrovascular diseases in older adults with multiple health conditions.
Objective:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) often coexists with cerebrovascular diseases. However, the impact of cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke on AD pathology remains poorly understood.
Methods:
This study examines the correlation between cerebrovascular diseases and AD pathology. The research was carried out using clinical and neuropathological data collected from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) database and an animal model in which bilateral common carotid artery stenosis surgery was performed, following the injection of tau seeds into the brains of wild-type mice.
Results:
Analysis of the NACC database suggests that clinical stroke history and lacunar infarcts are associated with lower neurofibrillary tangle pathology. An animal model demonstrates that chronic cerebral hypoperfusion reduces tau pathology, which was observed in not only neurons but also astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes. Furthermore, we found that astrocytes and microglia were activated in response to tau pathology and chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Additionally, cerebral hypoperfusion increased a lysosomal enzyme, cathepsin D.
Interpretation:
These data together indicate that cerebral hypoperfusion reduces tau accumulation likely through an increase in microglial phagocytic activity towards tau and an elevation in degradation through cathepsin D. This study contributes to understanding the relationship between tau pathology and cerebrovascular diseases in older people with multimorbidity.
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Ischemic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology
Transient Ischemic Attack l: Introduction
Cerebral Edema ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Dementia l: Introduction

