Aldosterone as an independent factor in cerebrovascular damage.

Aldosterone is produced not only in the adrenal gland but also in other tissues, including the brain, where it plays an important role in the control of blood pressure and water and electrolyte homeostasis. Aldosterone has also been demonstrated to be a major factor in target organ damage independent of its effects on blood pressure. Herein we review the pathophysiology of aldosterone action in the brain and the clinical and experimental studies on the detrimental effects of aldosterone in the brain.