As we age, our brains become more sensitive to stress and disease. A recent study sheds light on a lesser-known risk: reduced oxygen levels.
Aging-US Research
Chronic mild hypoxia (CMH; 8% O2) triggers transient blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, an effect greatly increased with age. As BBB disruption predisposes to neuronal death and cognitive decline, here we defined the hypoxic thresholds that trigger BBB breakdown in young and aged mice, and then defined the age at which hypoxia-induced BBB disruption significantly increases.