Experimental neurology

How communication between brain immune and support cells may worsen stroke damage and blood vessel weakness with age

Updated

Abstract

Ischemic stroke damage severity increases markedly with age.

  • Age is closely tied to the physical and functional deterioration of the neurovascular unit.
  • Microglia and astrocyte interactions significantly influence age-related vascular frailty.
  • With ongoing metabolic stress, microglia may shift toward a senescent state, becoming drivers of inflammation.
  • Dysfunctional microglia can induce astrocytes into a neurotoxic state through specific factors.
  • Chronic neuroinflammation caused by microglia-astrocyte interactions may disrupt the blood-brain barrier and lead to neurovascular decoupling.
  • Cellular abnormalities could result in impaired microvascular recanalization and progressive white matter damage.

Simplified

Full Text

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Funding

Competing interests

No financial or personal ties reported.
PubMed

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