title: Genetic and environmental factors in vascular dementia: an update of blood brain barrier dysfunction.
abstract: Vascular dementia (VaD) describes a combination of both cognitive and behavioural manifestations associated with variable brain lesions of vascular origin. While vascular risk factors have been implicated in VaD, the relationship is most evident when the factors are considered together and not individually. This review will examine the significance of the integrity of blood brain barrier (BBB) tight junction (TJ) proteins - occludin and claudins in the pathophysiology of VaD. Specifically, some of the genetic contributors to VaD, namely those responsible for the integrity of the BBB, will be reviewed in detail. Moreover, environmental factors will be considered in conjunction with these genes to examine how the interaction of environmental and genetic factors contributes to one's susceptibility to VaD.
authors: Department of Aged Care and Rehabilitation, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Bankstown, Australia.|Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Vivek
authors: V
authors: Srinivasan
authors: Department of Aged Care and Rehabilitation, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Bankstown, Australia.|Ingham Institute, Liverpool, Australia.|School of Psychiatry, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Nady
authors: N
authors: Braidy
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Macarthur, Australia.
authors: Eunice K W
authors: EK
authors: Chan
authors: Department of Aged Care and Rehabilitation, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Bankstown, Australia.|Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.|Ingham Institute, Liverpool, Australia.
authors: Ying-Hua
authors: YH
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Aged Care and Rehabilitation, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Bankstown, Australia.|Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.|Ingham Institute, Liverpool, Australia.
authors: Daniel K Y
authors: DK
authors: Chan
mesh_terms: D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004777:Environment; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: blood brain barrier; claudin; genetics; vascular dementia