Biomarkers of blood-brain barrier and neurovascular unit integrity in human cognitive impairment and dementia.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing current biomarkers without systematic review or meta-analysis methodology.
PubMed 40145342 · doi:10.1002/alz.70104
What was done
The authors reviewed current human biomarker modalities used to evaluate blood-brain barrier (BBB) and neurovascular unit integrity in the context of normal aging, cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). The review evaluates in vivo imaging techniques, established cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers, and candidate blood-based fluid biomarkers.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative data or statistical comparisons. It summarizes that BBB permeability increases during normal aging and is further exacerbated in ADRD, and describes the clinical landscape of available imaging, CSF, and emerging blood biomarkers reflecting BBB integrity.
Why it matters
Identifying reliable fluid and neuroimaging biomarkers of BBB dysfunction is critical for detecting early neurovascular pathology, stratifying ADRD risk, and tracking response to targeted therapeutics in clinical trials.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative review rather than a systematic review or meta-analysis. No quantitative metrics, diagnostic accuracies, or comparative effect sizes are provided. Candidate blood-based biomarkers discussed require further clinical validation before routine diagnostic use.
Cited by
- supports The blood-brain barrier naturally becomes less functional and increasingly permeable as humans age.