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Genetic and environmental factors in vascular dementia: an update of blood brain barrier dysfunction
Author(s) -
Srinivasan Vivek,
Braidy Nady,
Chan Eunice K. W.,
Xu YingHua,
Chan Daniel K. Y.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1440-1681
pISSN - 0305-1870
DOI - 10.1111/1440-1681.12558
Subject(s) - occludin , blood–brain barrier , claudin , vascular dementia , dementia , neuroscience , genetic predisposition , tight junction , medicine , bioinformatics , biology , gene , pathology , genetics , central nervous system , disease
Summary Vascular dementia (VaD) describes a combination of both cognitive and behavioural manifestations associated with variable brain lesions of vascular origin. While vascular risk factors have been implicated in VaD, the relationship is most evident when the factors are considered together and not individually. This review will examine the significance of the integrity of blood brain barrier ( BBB ) tight junction ( TJ ) proteins – occludin and claudins in the pathophysiology of VaD. Specifically, some of the genetic contributors to VaD, namely those responsible for the integrity of the BBB , will be reviewed in detail. Moreover, environmental factors will be considered in conjunction with these genes to examine how the interaction of environmental and genetic factors contributes to one's susceptibility to VaD.