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Zhao S, Huang Y, Shi S, Chen W, Chen R, Wang Z, Wang D. Causal effects of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy on structural changes in specific brain regions: a Mendelian randomization study. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae282. [PMID: 38984704 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
This study utilized Mendelian randomization to explore the impact of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and their subtypes on brain structures, using genome-wide association study data from the FinnGen consortium for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy exposure and brain structure data from the ENIGMA consortium as outcomes. The inverse-variance weighted method, along with Cochran's Q test, Mendelian randomization-Egger regression, Mendelian randomization-PRESSO global test, and the leave-one-out approach, were applied to infer causality and assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Findings indicate hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are associated with structural brain alterations, including reduced cortical thickness in areas like the insula, isthmus cingulate gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, temporal pole, and transverse temporal gyrus, and an increased surface area in the superior frontal gyrus. Specific associations were found for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy subtypes: chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia increased cortical thickness in the supramarginal gyrus; preeclampsia/eclampsia led to thinner cortex in the lingual gyrus and larger hippocampal volume and superior parietal lobule surface area. Chronic hypertension was associated with reduced cortical thickness in the caudal and rostral anterior cingulate and increased surface area of the cuneus and thickness of the pars orbitalis cortex. Gestational hypertension showed no significant brain region changes. These insights clarify hypertensive disorders of pregnancies' neurological and cognitive effects by identifying affected brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yihong Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Shaole Shi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Run Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zilian Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Dongyu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China
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He Z, Li J. The therapeutic effects of lacosamide on epilepsy-associated comorbidities. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1063703. [PMID: 37006477 PMCID: PMC10062524 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1063703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder associated with severe social and psychological effects, and most epilepsy patients often report at least one comorbidity. Accumulating evidence have suggested that lacosamide, a new generation of anti-seizure medications, may exhibit efficacy in the management of both epilepsy and its related comorbidities. Therefore, this narrative review aimed to elucidate the recent advancements regarding the therapeutic role of lacosamide in epilepsy-associated comorbidities. The possible pathophysiological mechanisms between epilepsy and epilepsy-associated comorbidities have been also partially described. Whether lacosamide improves cognitive and behavioral functions in patients with epilepsy has not been conclusively established. Some studies support that lacosamide may alleviate anxiety and depression in epilepsy patients. In addition, lacosamide has been found to be safe and effective in the treatment of epilepsy in people with intellectual disabilities, epilepsy of cerebrovascular etiology, and epilepsy associated with brain tumors. Moreover, lacosamide treatment has demonstrated fewer side effects on other systems. Hence, future larger and higher quality clinical studies are needed to further explore both the safety and efficacy of lacosamide in the treatment of epilepsy-associated comorbidities.
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Johnson AC. Hippocampal Vascular Supply and Its Role in Vascular Cognitive Impairment. Stroke 2023; 54:673-685. [PMID: 36848422 PMCID: PMC9991081 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.122.038263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of age-related dementia is increasing as the world population ages and due to lack of effective treatments for dementia. Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia are increasing as the prevalence of pathologies associated with cerebrovascular disease rise, including chronic hypertension, diabetes, and ischemic stroke. The hippocampus is a bilateral deep brain structure that is central to learning, memory, and cognitive function and highly susceptible to hypoxic/ischemic injury. Compared with cortical brain regions such as the somatosensory cortex, less is known about the function of the hippocampal vasculature that is critical in maintaining neurocognitive health. This review focuses on the hippocampal vascular supply, presenting what is known about hippocampal hemodynamics and blood-brain barrier function during health and disease, and discusses evidence that supports its contribution to vascular cognitive impairment and dementia. Understanding vascular-mediated hippocampal injury that contributes to memory dysfunction during healthy aging and cerebrovascular disease is essential to develop effective treatments to slow cognitive decline. The hippocampus and its vasculature may represent one such therapeutic target to mitigate the dementia epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbie C Johnson
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington
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Canjels LPW, Ghossein-Doha C, Alers RJ, Rutten S, van den Kerkhof M, Schiffer VMMM, Mulder E, Gerretsen SC, Aldenkamp AP, Hurks PPM, van de Ven V, Spaanderman MEA, Jansen JFA, Backes WH. Functional connectivity of limbic system and prefrontal cortex years after pre-eclampsia: 7-Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging study. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2022; 60:532-540. [PMID: 35502135 DOI: 10.1002/uog.24928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pre-eclampsia is a vascular complication of pregnancy, associated with a long-term risk of cerebrovascular and mental disorders. We explored whether formerly pre-eclamptic women exhibit differences in functional brain organization, especially in regions that may explain the commonly reported emotional symptoms and cognitive complaints even years after the pregnancy. METHODS Formerly pre-eclamptic women and control women with a history of normotensive pregnancy underwent structural and functional 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scans. Using graph theoretical analysis, the efficiency and clustering coefficient of the functional brain network were investigated. The study included local analysis focusing on particular brain structures, such as the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex, and global analysis of the whole cerebrum. Univariable and multivariable linear regression was used to investigate the relationship between brain network-related graph measures and the group (formerly pre-eclamptic or control). RESULTS A total of 17 control parous women and 55 women with a history of pre-eclampsia were recruited. The time intervals between the index pregnancy and recruitment were 8.0 and 5.6 years for the two groups, respectively. Compared with control women, formerly pre-eclamptic women had higher local efficiency in the prefrontal cortex (P = 0.048) and anterior cingulate cortex (P = 0.03) but lower local efficiency and local clustering coefficient in the amygdala (P = 0.004 and P = 0.02, respectively) and parahippocampal cortex (P = 0.007 and P = 0.008, respectively). No differences were found in the global functional brain organization. CONCLUSIONS Compared to controls with a history of normotensive pregnancy, formerly pre-eclamptic women displayed a different local functional brain organization. These differences in functional connectivity, especially in the limbic regions and the prefrontal cortex, are in line with the psychological and cognitive complaints reported commonly by women with a history of pre-eclampsia. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- L P W Canjels
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- MHeNs, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - C Ghossein-Doha
- Department of Cardiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- GROW, School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- CARIM, School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - R J Alers
- GROW, School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - S Rutten
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Scannexus Ultra-High Field MRI Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - M van den Kerkhof
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- MHeNs, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - V M M M Schiffer
- GROW, School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - E Mulder
- GROW, School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - S C Gerretsen
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - A P Aldenkamp
- MHeNs, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Academic Center for Epileptology Kempenhaeghe/Maastricht UMC+, Heeze and Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - P P M Hurks
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - V van de Ven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - M E A Spaanderman
- GROW, School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - J F A Jansen
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- MHeNs, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - W H Backes
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- MHeNs, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- CARIM, School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Cipolla MJ, Tremble S, DeLance N, Allison D, Johnson AC. Treatment with apocynin selectively restores hippocampal arteriole function and seizure-induced hyperemia in a model of preeclampsia. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2022; 42:1425-1436. [PMID: 35137612 PMCID: PMC9274854 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x221080092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy associated with neurovascular dysfunction, cognitive impairment and increased seizure susceptibility. Here, we sought to determine if treatment of experimental PE (ePE) rats with apocynin could prevent hippocampal arteriolar (HA) dysfunction and impaired seizure-induced hyperemia within the hippocampus, a brain region central to cognition and seizure generation. Isolated and pressurized HAs from Sprague Dawley rats that were normal pregnant (Preg; n = 8), ePE (n = 8) or ePE treated with apocynin for 2 weeks of gestation (ePE + apo; n = 8) were compared. Hippocampal blood flow (n = 6/group) was measured using hydrogen clearance before and during seizure. Aorta elastin was quantified using histochemistry. ePE was associated with HA dysfunction including reduced contraction to endothelin-1 and diminished dilation to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator NS309 that was prevented by apocynin. However, apocynin had no effect on ePE-induced impairment of dilation to the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside, but increased myogenic tone and substantially increased HA distensibility. Seizure-induced hyperemia was impaired in ePE rats that was restored by apocynin. Aorta from ePE rats had reduced elastin content, suggesting large artery stiffness, that was unaffected by apocynin. Thus, while apocynin partially prevented HA dysfunction, its restoration of functional hyperemia may be protective of seizure-induced injury during eclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn J Cipolla
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Sarah Tremble
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Nicole DeLance
- Department of Pathology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Dana Allison
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Abbie C Johnson
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA
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Johnson AC, Uhlig F, Einwag Z, Cataldo N, Erdos B. The neuroendocrine stress response impairs hippocampal vascular function and memory in male and female rats. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 168:105717. [PMID: 35385769 PMCID: PMC9018625 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic psychological stress affects brain regions involved in memory such as the hippocampus and accelerates age-related cognitive decline, including in Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. However, little is known about how chronic stress impacts hippocampal vascular function that is critically involved in maintaining neurocognitive health that could contribute to stress-related memory dysfunction. Here, we used a novel experimental rat model that mimics the neuroendocrine and cardiovascular aspects of chronic stress to determine how the neuroendocrine components of the stress response affect hippocampal function. We studied both male and female rats to determine potential sex differences in the susceptibility of the hippocampus and its vasculature to neuroendocrine stress-induced dysfunction. We show that activation of neuroendocrine stress pathways impaired the vasoreactivity of hippocampal arterioles to mediators involved in coupling neuronal activity with local blood flow that was associated with impaired memory function. Interestingly, we found more hippocampal arteriolar dysfunction and scarcer hippocampal microvasculature in male compared to female rats that was associated with greater memory impairment, suggesting the male sex may be at increased risk of neuroendocrine-derived hippocampal dysfunction during chronic stress. Overall, this study revealed the therapeutic potential of targeting hippocampal arterioles to prevent or slow memory decline in the setting of prolonged and/or unavoidable stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbie C Johnson
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA.
| | - Friederike Uhlig
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Zachary Einwag
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Noelle Cataldo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Benedek Erdos
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
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Johnson AC, Tremble SM, Cipolla MJ. Experimental Preeclampsia Causes Long-Lasting Hippocampal Vascular Dysfunction and Memory Impairment. Front Physiol 2022; 13:889918. [PMID: 35615682 PMCID: PMC9124928 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.889918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that is associated with memory impairment, cognitive decline and brain atrophy later in life in women at ages as young as early-to-mid 40 s. PE increases the risk of vascular dementia three-fold, however, long-lasting effects of PE on the vasculature of vulnerable brain regions involved in memory and cognition, such as the hippocampus, remain unknown. Here, we used a rat model of experimental PE (ePE) induced by maintaining rats on a 2% cholesterol diet beginning on day 7 of gestation to investigate hippocampal function later in life. Hippocampal-dependent memory and hippocampal arteriole (HA) function were determined in Sprague Dawley rats 5 months after either a healthy pregnancy or ePE (n = 8/group). Rats that had ePE were hypertensive and had impaired vasoreactivity of HAs to mediators involved in matching neuronal activity with local blood flow (i.e., neurovascular coupling). ePE rats also had impaired long-term memory, but not spatial memory. Thus, this model of ePE mimics some of the long-lasting cardiovascular and cognitive consequences that occur in women who previously had PE. These findings suggest endothelial and vascular smooth muscle dysfunction of HAs were present months after PE that could impair hippocampal neurovascular coupling. This represents a novel vascular mechanism by which PE causes early-onset dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbie C. Johnson
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States,*Correspondence: Abbie C. Johnson,
| | - Sarah M. Tremble
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Marilyn J. Cipolla
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States,Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States,Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Vermont College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, Burlington, VT, United States
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Kaur M, Sharma S. Molecular mechanisms of cognitive impairment associated with stroke. Metab Brain Dis 2022; 37:279-287. [PMID: 35029798 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-022-00901-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Stroke is the second leading cause of death after coronary heart disease in developed countries and is the greatest cause of disability and cognitive impairment. Risk factors for cognitive impairment and dementia after stroke are multifactorial including older age, family history, hypertension, arterial fibrillation, diabetes, genetic variants, low educational status, vascular comorbidities, prior transient ischaemic attack or recurrent stroke, depressive illness duration of a stroke, location, volume, intensity, and degree of neuronal degeneration, location and size of infarction after stroke, time interval after stroke other cerebral dysfunctions. The pathophysiology of stroke associated cognitive impairment is complex and recent molecular, cellular, and animal models studies have revealed that multiple cellular changes have been implicated, including altered redox state, mitochondrial dysfunction, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, perivascular spacing, glymphatic system impairment, microglia activation and amyloid-β deposition in the parenchyma of the brain. These studies have also evidenced the involvement of various transcription factors, intracellular adhesion molecules, and endogenous growth factors in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment associated with stroke and providing scope for developing therapeutic strategies for treatment. This review summarizes the latest research findings on molecular mechanisms involved in cognitive impairment associated with stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandeep Kaur
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, CT University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
| | - Saurabh Sharma
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, CT University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
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