A noval neuro-biomarker of cognitive impairment related to cerebral small vessel disease in patients with T2DM: Lenticulostriate arteries

Abstract

The lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs) are crucial cerebral microvasculature vessels, supplying blood to the basal ganglia and internal capsule. Diagnosing, recognizing, and treating cognitive impairment in cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is challenging due to complex pathogenesis and unstudied mechanisms. This section reviews LSAs-related CSVD literature, analyzes microvascular injury mechanisms, explores pathophysiological events in T2DM patients, including blood flow disorders, neurovascular unit dysfunction, and blood-brain barrier disruption, and their relationship to cognitive impairment. We investigate LSAs structure and vascular changes to identify biomarkers for cognitive impairment. We explain CSVD's role in cognitive symptoms and brain network disconnections, and study vascular risk factors' impact on LSAs and cognitive decline, considering LSAs as potential therapeutic targets.