About this Research Topic

Background

As we age, the vasculature in our body undergoes morphological, structural, and functional changes, even in healthy individuals. These mechanisms are at the basis of many cardiovascular and age-related diseases. Some of these effects can be seen on the brain and cause or exacerbate neurodegenerative pathologies. Growing interest and understanding of the role of the aging vasculature in the context of the age-related loss of cognitive function has prompted many investigative efforts to better understand the macro- and microvascular mechanisms underlying the development of dementia.

The goal of this article collection is to stimulate and gather evidence that relates to the mechanisms underlying the neurodegenerative disease of aging. Moreover, intracerebral hemorrhages, brain strokes, aneurysms, cerebrovascular rarefaction, blood-brain barrier leakage, neuroinflammation and endothelial dysfunction are all cerebrovascular hallmarks of aging that need to be further investigated.

This Research Topic welcomes basic, translational, computational, and applied research on how brain vascular function changes during aging and the effects on neurodegenerative disorders. We welcome submissions of different article types to this collection, especially reviews, mini-reviews, and original research papers. Potential areas of interest may include, but are not limited to:
• Studies investigating the vascular etiology and the pathogenesis of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD)
• The role the cerebral microcirculation, and its contribution to the pathogenesis of VCI, MCI and AD
• Development of innovative strategies to target shared molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging (i.e. biomarkers) for prevention/treatment of VCI, MCI and AD
• Investigation of cerebro microvascular mechanisms of aging (including but not limited to: vascular rarefaction, neurovascular uncoupling, blood-brain barrier leakage, neuroinflammation, and neurovascular unit dysfunction)
• Exploring the links between lifestyle-related factors (e.g., diet, exercise, smoking, chronobiological disruption), medical treatments (e.g. cancer treatments), exposure to environmental toxicants and accelerated brain and cerebro microvascular aging
• Relevant translational and public health aspects of cerebrovascular and brain aging research

Keywords: Vascular cognitive impairment, Brain Cerebrovascular aging, Vascular function, Brain circulation, Neurodegeneration

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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