Cerebral blood flow in normal aging adults: cardiovascular determinants, clinical implications, and aerobic fitness.
Takashi TarumiRong ZhangPublished in: Journal of neurochemistry (2017)
Senescence is a leading cause of mortality, disability, and non-communicable chronic diseases in older adults. Mounting evidence indicates that the presence of cardiovascular disease and risk factors elevates the incidence of both vascular cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Age-related declines in cardiovascular function may impair cerebral blood flow (CBF) regulation, leading to the disruption of neuronal micro-environmental homeostasis. The brain is the most metabolically active organ with limited intracellular energy storage and critically depends on CBF to sustain neuronal metabolism. In patients with AD, cerebral hypoperfusion, increased CBF pulsatility, and impaired blood pressure control during orthostatic stress have been reported, indicating exaggerated, age-related decline in both cerebro- and cardiovascular function. Currently, AD lacks effective treatments; therefore, the development of preventive strategy is urgently needed. Regular aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular function, which in turn may lead to a better CBF regulation, thus reducing the dementia risk. In this review, we discuss the effects of aging on cardiovascular regulation of CBF and provide new insights into the vascular mechanisms of cognitive impairment and potential effects of aerobic exercise training on CBF regulation. This article is part of the Special Issue "Vascular Dementia".
Keyphrases
- cognitive impairment
- cerebral blood flow
- risk factors
- cardiovascular disease
- blood pressure
- physical activity
- mild cognitive impairment
- cerebral ischemia
- type diabetes
- high intensity
- subarachnoid hemorrhage
- metabolic syndrome
- endothelial cells
- human health
- coronary artery disease
- insulin resistance
- cardiovascular risk factors
- climate change
- sensitive detection
- white matter
- functional connectivity
- adipose tissue
- quantum dots
- reactive oxygen species