An approach to the pathogenesis for cerebral small vessel disease form hereditary small vessel disease

Osamu Onodera

Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Resource Branch for Brain Disease, Niigata University

Cerebral small vessel diseases are associated with an increased risk of dementia and gait disturbance. Cerebral small vessels include several different arteries which have different anatomical structures and functions. Important functions of the cerebral small vessels are blood-brain barrier and perivasucular drainage of interstitial fluid from the brain parenchyma. However, little is known about the pathology of capillaries in small vessel disease. The recent discoveries of genes which cause the cerebral small vessel disease indicate that the cerebral small vessel diseases are caused by a distinct molecular mechanism. The function that is specific to cerebral small vessel may be associated with the pathogenesis of cerebral small vessel disease.

Address correspondence to Dr. Osamu Onodera, Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Resource Branch for Brain Disease, Niigata University (1-757 Asahimachi, Niigata 951-8122, Japan)