Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Jun;44(6):881-895.
doi: 10.1177/0271678X241240843. Epub 2024 Mar 21.

Alterations of the blood-brain barrier during aging

Yufan Cao  1 , Weihai Xu  1 , Qing Liu  1
Affiliations
Review

Alterations of the blood-brain barrier during aging

Yufan Cao et al. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2024 Jun.

Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a complex and dynamic interface that regulates the exchange of molecules and cells between the blood and the central nervous system. It undergoes structural and functional changes during aging, which may compromise its integrity and contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. In recent years, advances in microscopy and high-throughput bioinformatics have allowed a more in-depth investigation of the aging mechanisms of BBB. This review summarizes age-related alterations of the BBB structure and function from six perspectives: endothelial cells, astrocytes, pericytes, basement membrane, microglia and perivascular macrophages, and fibroblasts, ranging from the molecular level to the human multi-system level. These basic components are essential for the proper functioning of the BBB. Recent imaging methods of BBB were also reviewed. Elucidation of age-associated BBB changes may offer insights into BBB homeostasis and may provide effective therapeutic strategies to protect it during aging.

Keywords: Aging; blood-brain barrier; cerebral blood flow; neurodegeneration; neuroinflammation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Iadecola C. The neurovascular unit coming of age: a journey through neurovascular coupling in health and disease. Neuron 2017; 96: 17–42. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Sweeney MD, Zhao Z, Montagne A, et al.. Blood-brain barrier: from physiology to disease and back. Physiol Rev 2019; 199: 21–78. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kurz C, Walker L, Rauchmann BS, et al.. Dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier in Alzheimer's disease: evidence from human studies. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2022; 48: e12782. - PubMed
    1. Si Z, Sun L, Wang X. Evidence and perspectives of cell senescence in neurodegenerative diseases. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 137: 111327. - PubMed
    1. Lansdorp PM. Telomeres, aging, and cancer: the big picture. Blood 2022; 139: 813–821. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources