Brain microvascular calcification is increased in human donors with dementia compared to elderly controls: a pilot...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Vascular Biology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Intracranial vascular calcification is observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia.
• Increased calcification in larger arteries correlates with dementia risk, but microvascular calcification's role is less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare microvascular calcification in AD-relevant brain regions between individuals with and without dementia.
• To investigate the association between microvascular calcification and late-onset AD.

Main Methods:

• Human brain tissue samples from basal ganglia, hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex, substantia nigra, and subventricular zone were analyzed.
• Micro-computed tomography was used to quantify vascular calcification, confirmed by histology.
• Two cohorts were studied: cadavers with and without dementia, and postmortem brain samples from individuals with and without confirmed late-onset AD.

Main Results:

• Higher microvascular calcification in the hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex, and subventricular zone was associated with increased odds of dementia.
• Late-onset AD cases showed significantly higher microvascular calcification in the posterior cingulate cortex compared to controls.
• Internal carotid artery calcification correlated with microvascular calcification in the basal ganglia, hippocampus, and posterior cingulate cortex.

Conclusions:

• Microvascular calcification affects brain regions critical for memory and cognition in AD.
• These findings suggest microvascular calcification has pathophysiological significance in the development and progression of AD and related dementias.