Neuronal death is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and considerable work has been done to understand how the loss of interconnectivity between neurons contributes to the associated dementia. Often overlooked however, is how the loss of neuronal innervation of blood vessels, termed perivascular innervation, may also contribute to the pathogenesis of AD. There is now considerable evidence supporting a crucial role for the neurovascular unit (NVU) in mediating the clearance of the β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide, one of the main pathological constituents of AD, from the brain. Moreover, efficient removal appears to be dependent on the communication of cells within the NVU to maintain adequate vascular tone and pulsatility. This review summarizes the composition of the NVU, including the sources of perivascular innervation and how the NVU mediates Aβ clearance from the brain. It also explores evidence supporting the hypothesis that loss of neurally mediated vasoreactivity contributes to Aβ pathology in the AD brain.
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June 2017
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The accompanying caption is: Image demonstrates a 3D reconstruction of the neurovascular unit in a hippocampal artery in the mouse brain. For further details, see article by Nizari et al in this issue, pages 1207-1214. Image kindly provided by Cheryl Hawkes.
Review Article|
May 31 2017
The role of perivascular innervation and neurally mediated vasoreactivity in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease
Shereen Nizari;
Shereen Nizari
1School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, U.K.
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Ignacio A. Romero;
Ignacio A. Romero
1School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, U.K.
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Cheryl A. Hawkes
1School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, U.K.
Correspondence: Cheryl Hawkes ([email protected])
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
December 20 2016
Revision Received:
February 22 2017
Accepted:
February 24 2017
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2017
Clin Sci (Lond) (2017) 131 (12): 1207–1214.
Article history
Received:
December 20 2016
Revision Received:
February 22 2017
Accepted:
February 24 2017
Citation
Shereen Nizari, Ignacio A. Romero, Cheryl A. Hawkes; The role of perivascular innervation and neurally mediated vasoreactivity in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 June 2017; 131 (12): 1207–1214. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20160769
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