Microglia protect against age-associated brain pathologies.

Microglia are brain-resident macrophages that contribute to central nervous system (CNS) development, maturation, and preservation. Here, we examine the consequences of permanent microglial deficiencies on brain aging using the Csf1r mouse model. In juvenile Csf1r mice, we show that microglia are dispensable for the transcriptomic maturation of other brain cell types.

Connexins and blood-brain barrier: Beyond the gap.

In this issue of Neuron, Zhan, Meng, et al. explore the non-canonical roles of connexin-43 in brain endothelial cells and connect its faltering expression to the depletion of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), mitochondrial stress, and blood-brain barrier rupture.

How Do Modifiable Risk Factors Affect Alzheimer's Disease Pathology or Mitigate Its Effect on Clinical Symptom Expression?

Epidemiological studies show that modifiable risk factors account for approximately 40% of the population variability in risk of developing dementia, including sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent findings suggest that these factors may also modify disease trajectories of people with autosomal-dominant AD. With positron emission tomography imaging, it is now possible to study the disease many years before its clinical onset.

A Scoping Review on Biomarkers of Endothelial Dysfunction in Small Vessel Disease: Molecular Insights from Human Studies.

Small vessel disease (SVD) is a highly prevalent disorder of the brain's microvessels and a common cause of dementia as well as ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes. Though much about the underlying pathophysiology of SVD remains poorly understood, a wealth of recently published evidence strongly suggests a key role of microvessel endothelial dysfunction and a compromised blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the development and progression of the disease. Understanding the causes and downstream consequences associated with endothelial dysfunction in this pathological context could aid in the development of effective diagnostic and prognostic tools and provide promising avenues for potential therapeutic interventions.

Evaluation of quality of care in neonatal anesthesia using a bundle of intraoperative parameters.

Background: Maintenance of physiological homeostasis is key in the safe conduct of pediatric anesthesia. Achieving this goal is especially difficult in neonatal surgery.

Aims: The first aim was to document the absolute number of seven intraoperative parameters monitored during anesthesia in neonates undergoing gastroschisis surgery.

Consequences of General Anesthesia in Infancy on Behavior and Brain Structure.

Background: One in 7 children will need general anesthesia (GA) before the age of 3. Brain toxicity of anesthetics is controversial. Our objective was to clarify whether exposure of GA to the developing brain could lead to lasting behavioral and structural brain changes.

Delayed Cerebral Ischemia After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Is There a Relevant Experimental Model? A Systematic Review of Preclinical Literature.

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is one of the main prognosis factors for disability after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The lack of a consensual definition for DCI had limited investigation and care in human until 2010, when a multidisciplinary research expert group proposed to define DCI as the occurrence of cerebral infarction (identified on imaging or histology) associated with clinical deterioration. We performed a systematic review to assess whether preclinical models of SAH meet this definition, focusing on the combination of noninvasive imaging and neurological deficits.

Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts is a developmental disorder of the gliovascular unit.

Absence of the astrocyte-specific membrane protein MLC1 is responsible for megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts (MLC), a rare type of leukodystrophy characterized by early-onset macrocephaly and progressive white matter vacuolation that lead to ataxia, spasticity, and cognitive decline. During postnatal development (from P5 to P15 in the mouse), MLC1 forms a membrane complex with GlialCAM (another astrocytic transmembrane protein) at the junctions between perivascular astrocytic processes. Perivascular astrocytic processes along with blood vessels form the gliovascular unit.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Blood-Brain Barrier permeability in Dementia.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) are the two main causes of dementia with blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown being a common contributor. Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques offer new possibilities to understand how the brain functions in health and disease. This includes methods such as dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) which allows the detection of subtle regional changes in the BBB integrity.

Preventing the Long-term Effects of General Anesthesia on the Developing Brain: How Translational Research can Contribute.

In 2017, the Food and Drug Administration published a safety recommendation to limit the exposure to general anesthesia as much as possible below the age of three. Indeed, several preclinical and clinical studies have questioned the possible toxicity of general anesthesia on the developing brain. Since then, recent clinical studies tried to mitigate this alarming issue.

Early Ultrafast Ultrasound Imaging of Cerebral Perfusion correlates with Ischemic Stroke outcomes and responses to treatment in Mice.

In the field of ischemic cerebral injury, precise characterization of neurovascular hemodynamic is required to select candidates for reperfusion treatments. It is thus admitted that advanced imaging-based approaches would be able to better diagnose and prognose those patients and would contribute to better clinical care. Current imaging modalities like MRI allow a precise diagnostic of cerebral injury but suffer from limited availability and transportability.

Cranioplasty Reverses Dysfunction of the Solutes Distribution in the Brain Parenchyma After Decompressive Craniectomy.

Background: Solutes distribution by the intracranial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fluxes along perivascular spaces and through interstitial fluid (ISF) play a key role in the clearance of brain metabolites, with essential functions in maintaining brain homeostasis.

Objective: To investigate the impact of decompressive craniectomy (DC) and cranioplasty (CP) on the efficacy of solutes distribution by the intracranial CSF and ISF flux.

Methods: Mice were allocated in 3 groups: sham surgery, DC, and DC followed by CP.