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Study Maps Progressive, Region-Specific Vascular Changes in Parkinson’s Brains

The Australian team reports a distinctive cerebrovascular signature in Parkinson’s that they hope to target to slow decline.

Overview

  • Researchers at NeuRA, UNSW and the University of Sydney analyzed post-mortem human brain tissue and found spatially distinct alterations in the cerebrovasculature linked to Parkinson’s progression.
  • The study reports an increased presence of non-functional “string vessels,” indicating microvascular loss in affected brain regions.
  • Investigators also observed changes in cerebral blood flow dynamics and blood–brain barrier function associated with the disease.
  • The work was posted on bioRxiv and is slated for publication in the journal Brain, according to the team.
  • Follow-up analyses are underway to assess whether similar cerebrovascular changes occur in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.