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Cerebrovascular muscle atrophy is a feature of Alzheimer's disease

G Perry1, M A Smith, C E McCann

  • 1Institute of Pathology, 2085 Adelbert Road, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. gxp7@po.cwru.edu

Brain Research
|June 19, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Vascular abnormalities, including smooth muscle atrophy, are consistently found in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains, independent of amyloid-beta. These vascular changes may contribute to AD development and complications.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pathology
  • Vascular Biology

Background:

  • Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder.
  • Cerebrovascular abnormalities are increasingly recognized in AD pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate vascular amyloid-beta deposition and other abnormalities in the posterior cerebral artery in Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • To determine the relationship between vascular abnormalities and amyloid-beta deposition in AD.

Main Methods:

  • Examination of posterior cerebral artery samples from consecutive cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and control subjects.
  • Histopathological analysis to assess vascular amyloid-beta deposition and smooth muscle integrity.

Main Results:

  • Smooth muscle atrophy was a consistent feature in the posterior cerebral arteries of AD cases (p<0.01).
  • Smooth muscle atrophy was observed independently of adjacent amyloid-beta deposition.

Conclusions:

  • Vascular abnormalities, particularly smooth muscle atrophy, are a consistent feature in Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • These vascular changes may play a significant role in the pathogenesis and complications of AD.

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