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Review: cerebral microvascular pathology in ageing and neurodegeneration
Brown WR, Thore CR.. Neuropathology and applied neurobiology, 2011-02-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
This review of age-related brain microvascular pathologies focuses on topics studied by this laboratory, including anatomy of the blood supply, tortuous vessels, venous collagenosis, capillary remnants, vascular density and microembolic brain injury. Our studies feature thick sections, large blocks embedded in celloidin, and vascular staining by alkaline phosphatase. This permits study of the vascular network in three dimensions, and the differentiation of afferent from efferent vessels. Current evidence suggests that there is decreased vascular density in ageing, Alzheimer's disease and leukoaraiosis, and cerebrovascular dysfunction precedes and accompanies cognitive dysfunction and neurodegeneration. A decline in cerebrovascular angiogenesis may inhibit recovery from hypoxia-induced capillary loss. Cerebral blood flow is inhibited by tortuous arterioles and deposition of excessive collagen in veins and venules. Misery perfusion due to capillary loss appears to occur before cell loss in leukoaraiosis, and cerebral blood flow is also reduced in the normal-appearing white matter. Hypoperfusion occurs early in Alzheimer's disease, inducing white matter lesions and correlating with dementia. In vascular dementia, cholinergic reductions are correlated with cognitive impairment, and cholinesterase inhibitors have some benefit. Most lipid microemboli from cardiac surgery pass through the brain in a few days, but some remain for weeks. They can cause what appears to be a type of vascular dementia years after surgery. Donepezil has shown some benefit. Emboli, such as clots, cholesterol crystals and microspheres can be extruded through the walls of cerebral vessels, but there is no evidence yet that lipid emboli undergo such extravasation.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Brown, W. R., & Thore, C. R. (2011). Review: cerebral microvascular pathology in ageing and neurodegeneration. Neuropathology and applied neurobiology. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2990.2010.01139.x
Vancouver
Brown WR, Thore CR. Review: cerebral microvascular pathology in ageing and neurodegeneration. Neuropathology and applied neurobiology. 2011. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2990.2010.01139.x. PMID: 20946471.
BibTeX
@article{brown2011-20946471,
author = {Brown, W. R. and Thore, C. R.},
title = {{Review: cerebral microvascular pathology in ageing and neurodegeneration}},
journal = {Neuropathology and applied neurobiology},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1111/j.1365-2990.2010.01139.x},
pmid = {20946471},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2990.2010.01139.x}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Current evidence suggests that there is decreased vascular density in ageing, Alzheimer's disease and leukoaraiosis, and cerebrovascular dysfunction precedes and accompanies cognitive dysfunction and neurodegeneration.
Why it matters
This review of age-related brain microvascular pathology reports that vascular density is decreased in ageing, Alzheimer's disease, and leukoaraiosis, and that cerebrovascular dysfunction precedes and accompanies cognitive dysfunction and neurodegeneration. Hypoperfusion occurs early in Alzheimer's disease, inducing white matter lesions and correlating with dementia, and in vascular dementia cholinergic reductions correlate with cognitive impairment, with cholinesterase inhibitors having some benefit.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neuropathology and applied neurobiology) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology: journal h-index 143 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2011 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 751 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 44.2 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 14.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 14 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 104 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Clara R. Thore: h-index 23 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Wake Forest University: institution h-index 835 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20946471) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2990.2010.01139.x
- PubMed: 20946471
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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