Aging Brain More Vulnerable to Even Mild Oxygen Deprivation
“Key Facts:
- Heightened Vulnerability: Aged mice showed significantly more BBB disruption at higher oxygen levels than younger mice, indicating increased sensitivity.
- Inflammation Spike: Microglial activation, a marker of brain inflammation, was elevated in older mice even under normal oxygen conditions.
- Repair Deficit: Despite steady blood vessel growth across ages, older brains exhibited impaired BBB repair, suggesting weakened vascular resilience with age.“
“The findings are important for understanding age-related cognitive decline and the potential risks faced by individuals with chronic oxygen-limiting conditions such as asthma, sleep apnea, emphysema, and heart disease.”
“These results may help explain why older adults with chronic hypoxia-related diseases are at higher risk for neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. The study also draws attention to the risks of high-altitude exposure for aging populations, where oxygen levels naturally drop.”
“Altogether, these findings underscore the importance of protecting brain health in older individuals by managing oxygen exposure and reducing hypoxia-related risks. The researchers emphasize the need to develop new therapies that support blood-brain barrier integrity, particularly in aging populations exposed to chronic or intermittent low-oxygen conditions.”
Defining the hypoxic thresholds that trigger blood-brain barrier disruption: the effect of age
“Considering the pathogenic potential of the link between hypoxic exposure, BBB disruption, neuronal loss, and cognitive decline, and the notion that this could affect a large number of (particularly aged) people, it becomes a high priority to dig deeper into this connection to address some important fundamental questions.“