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String Vessel Formation is Increased in the Brain of Parkinson Disease
Yang P, Pavlovic D, Waldvogel H, Dragunow M, Synek B, Turner C, Faull R, Guan J.. Journal of Parkinson's disease, 2015-01-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Plain-language summary
Background String vessels are collapsed basement membrane without endothelium and have no function in circulation. String vessel formation contributes to vascular degeneration in Alzheimer disease. By comparing to age-matched control cases we have recently reported endothelial degeneration in brain capillaries of human Parkinson disease (PD). Objective Current study evaluated changes of basement membrane of capillaries, string vessel formation and their association with astrocytes, blood-brain-barrier integrity and neuronal degeneration in PD. Methods Brain tissue from human cases of PD and age-matched controls was used. Immunohistochemical staining for collagen IV, GFAP, NeuN, tyrosine hydroxylase, fibrinogen and Factor VIII was evaluated by image analysis in the substantia nigra, caudate nucleus and middle frontal gyrus. Results While the basement-membrane-associated vessel density was similar between the two groups, the density of string vessels was significantly increased in the PD cases, particularly in the substantia nigra. Neuronal degeneration was found in all brain regions. Astrocytes and fibrinogen were increased in the caudate nuclei of PD cases compared with control cases. Conclusions Endothelial degeneration and preservation of basement membrane result in an increase of string vessel formation in PD. The data may suggest a possible role for cerebral hypoperfusion in the neuronal degeneration characteristic of PD, which needs further investigation. Elevated astrocytosis in the caudate nucleus of PD cases could be associated with disruption of the blood-brain barrier in this brain region.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
In human Parkinson disease brain tissue, string vessel density was significantly increased, especially in the substantia nigra, while basement-membrane-associated vessel density was similar to controls. This describes a vascular change in Parkinson disease and does not report a treatment or prevention effect for Alzheimer's disease.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Yang, P., Pavlovic, D., Waldvogel, H., Dragunow, M., Synek, B., Turner, C., et al. (2015). String Vessel Formation is Increased in the Brain of Parkinson Disease. Journal of Parkinson's disease. https://doi.org/10.3233/jpd-140454
Vancouver
Yang P, Pavlovic D, Waldvogel H, Dragunow M, Synek B, Turner C, et al. String Vessel Formation is Increased in the Brain of Parkinson Disease. Journal of Parkinson's disease. 2015. doi:10.3233/jpd-140454. PMID: 26444086.
BibTeX
@article{yang2015-26444086,
author = {Yang, P. and Pavlovic, D. and Waldvogel, H. and Dragunow, M. and Synek, B. and Turner, C. and Faull, R. and Guan, J.},
title = {{String Vessel Formation is Increased in the Brain of Parkinson Disease}},
journal = {Journal of Parkinson's disease},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.3233/jpd-140454},
pmid = {26444086},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3233/jpd-140454}
}
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 names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results While the basement-membrane-associated vessel density was similar between the two groups, the density of string vessels was significantly increased in the PD cases, particularly in the substantia nigra.
- Astrocytes and fibrinogen were increased in the caudate nuclei of PD cases compared with control cases.
- Conclusions Endothelial degeneration and preservation of basement membrane result in an increase of string vessel formation in PD.
- Elevated astrocytosis in the caudate nucleus of PD cases could be associated with disruption of the blood-brain barrier in this brain region.
Why it matters
In human Parkinson disease brain tissue, string vessel density was significantly increased, especially in the substantia nigra, while basement-membrane-associated vessel density was similar to controls. This describes a vascular change in Parkinson disease and does not report a treatment or prevention effect for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Parkinson's disease) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Journal of Parkinson s Disease: journal h-index 97 (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 | 2015 — 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 77 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.9 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 30 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Jian Guan: h-index 38 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Auckland: institution h-index 788 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26444086) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
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