Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: In humans, larger artery stiffening is associated with increased tau phosphorylation and neurodegeneration. However, because arterial stiffness often co-occurs with other age-related conditions like hypertension, atherosclerosis, and diabetes, it is nearly impossible to distill the underlying mechanisms specifically linking arterial stiffening to abnormal brain function. We leveraged a surgical mouse model of larger artery stiffening and used it concurrently with a transgenic Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse model of tau pathology to investigate the impact of larger artery stiffening on cognition.

Basic Mechanisms of Brain Injury and Cognitive Decline in Hypertension.

Dementia affects almost 50 million adults worldwide, and remains a major cause of death and disability. Hypertension is a leading risk factor for dementia, including Alzheimer disease and Alzheimer disease-related dementias. Although this association is well-established, the mechanisms underlying hypertension-induced cognitive decline remain poorly understood.