Distinct vascular states in cerebral small vessel disease are marked by pericyte loss and endothelial activation

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Cerebral small vessel disease involves brain arterioles, capillaries, and venules and is a major cause of stroke and a primary vascular contributor to cognitive impairment and dementia.
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Pericytes support endothelial stability and blood–brain barrier integrity, while experimental pericyte loss is associated with reduced cerebral blood flow and endothelial destabilization.
3

Endothelial activation in cerebral small vessel disease is associated with increased adhesion molecule expression, vascular inflammation, and blood–brain barrier disruption.
4

Prior human studies report inconsistent pericyte findings, leaving unresolved whether pericyte changes are uniform or vary with disease context and vascular compartment.
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The study uses high-resolution quantitative analyses of human brain tissue across neuropathological disease severity to assess pericyte and endothelial markers at single-vessel resolution.

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