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Spontaneous white matter damage, cognitive decline and neuroinflammation in middle-aged hypertensive rats: an animal model of early-stage cerebral small vessel disease
Kaiser D, Weise G, Möller K, Scheibe J, Pösel C, Baasch S, Gawlitza M, Lobsien D et al.. Acta neuropathologica communications, 2014-12-18
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Introduction Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is one of the most prevalent neurological disorders. The progressive remodeling of brain microvessels due to arterial hypertension or other vascular risk factors causes subtle, but constant cognitive decline through to manifest dementia and substantially increases the risk for stroke. Preliminary evidence suggests the contribution of the immune system to disease initiation and progression, but a more detailed understanding is impaired by the unavailability of appropriate animal models. Here, we introduce the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) as a model for early onset cSVD and unveiled substantial immune changes in conjunction with brain abnormalities that resemble clinical findings. Results In contrast to age-matched normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, male SHR exhibited non-spatial memory deficits. Magnetic resonance imaging showed brain atrophy and a reduction of white matter volumes in SHR. Histological analyses confirmed white matter demyelination and unveiled a circumscribed blood brain barrier dysfunction in conjunction with micro- and macrogliosis in deep cortical regions. Flow cytometry and histological analyses further revealed substantial disparities in cerebral CD45high leukocyte counts and distribution patterns between SHR and WKY. SHR showed lower counts of T cells in the choroid plexus and meningeal spaces as well as decreased interleukin-10 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid. On the other hand, both T and NK cells were significantly augmented in the SHR brain microvasculature. Conclusions Our results indicate that SHR share behavioral and neuropathological characteristics with human cSVD patients and further undergird the relevance of immune responses for the initiation and progression of cSVD.
Key findings
- Results In contrast to age-matched normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, male SHR exhibited non-spatial memory deficits.
- Flow cytometry and histological analyses further revealed substantial disparities in cerebral CD45high leukocyte counts and distribution patterns between SHR and WKY.
- On the other hand, both T and NK cells were significantly augmented in the SHR brain microvasculature.
- Conclusions Our results indicate that SHR share behavioral and neuropathological characteristics with human cSVD patients and further undergird the relevance of immune responses for the initiation and progression of cSVD.
Why it matters
This animal study found that middle-aged hypertensive rats exhibited non-spatial memory deficits, brain atrophy, white matter demyelination, and neuroinflammation compared to normotensive rats. It suggests that these rats share behavioral and neuropathological characteristics with human cerebral small vessel disease, but the findings are from an animal model.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Acta neuropathologica communications) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Acta Neuropathologica Communications: journal h-index 129 (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 | 2014 — 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 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “rats”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 204 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 14.6 citations a year over 14 year(s) since 2014 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 70 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Daniel‐Christoph Wagner: h-index 28 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Münster: institution h-index 833 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 25519173) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/s40478-014-0169-8
- PubMed: 25519173
- Original source →
- Free full text: Acta Neuropathologica Communications →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Kaiser, D., Weise, G., Möller, K., Scheibe, J., Pösel, C., Baasch, S., et al. (2014). Spontaneous white matter damage, cognitive decline and neuroinflammation in middle-aged hypertensive rats: an animal model of early-stage cerebral small vessel disease. Acta neuropathologica communications. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40478-014-0169-8
Vancouver
Kaiser D, Weise G, Möller K, Scheibe J, Pösel C, Baasch S, et al. Spontaneous white matter damage, cognitive decline and neuroinflammation in middle-aged hypertensive rats: an animal model of early-stage cerebral small vessel disease. Acta neuropathologica communications. 2014. doi:10.1186/s40478-014-0169-8. PMID: 25519173.
BibTeX
@article{kaiser2014-25519173,
author = {Kaiser, D. and Weise, G. and Möller, K. and Scheibe, J. and Pösel, C. and Baasch, S. and Gawlitza, M. and Lobsien, D. and others},
title = {{Spontaneous white matter damage, cognitive decline and neuroinflammation in middle-aged hypertensive rats: an animal model of early-stage cerebral small vessel disease}},
journal = {Acta neuropathologica communications},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1186/s40478-014-0169-8},
pmid = {25519173},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s40478-014-0169-8}
}
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