Cerebral Intramural Cells: A Missing Cellular Link Between Vascular Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.
EM, A., EM, A., TG, B., SA, C., BA, C., K, B., N, S., L, C., DR, M., & A, M. (2026). Cerebral Intramural Cells: A Missing Cellular Link Between Vascular Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.. International journal of molecular sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27167353
EM A, EM A, TG B, SA C, BA C, K B, et al. Cerebral Intramural Cells: A Missing Cellular Link Between Vascular Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.. International journal of molecular sciences. 2026; doi: 10.3390/ijms27167353
EM A, EM A, TG B, et al. Cerebral Intramural Cells: A Missing Cellular Link Between Vascular Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.[J]. International journal of molecular sciences. 2026. DOI: 10.3390/ijms27167353.
@article{em2026,
author = {Arbănași EM and Arbănași EM and Boghițoiu TG and Cărare SA and Cordoș BA and Braysh K and Suciu N and Chinezu L and Manu DR and Montagne A},
title = {Cerebral Intramural Cells: A Missing Cellular Link Between Vascular Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.},
journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.3390/ijms27167353},
note = {PMID: 42653355},
}
TY - JOUR AU - Arbănași EM AU - Arbănași EM AU - Boghițoiu TG AU - Cărare SA AU - Cordoș BA AU - Braysh K AU - Suciu N AU - Chinezu L AU - Manu DR AU - Montagne A TI - Cerebral Intramural Cells: A Missing Cellular Link Between Vascular Aging and Alzheimer's Disease. T2 - International journal of molecular sciences PY - 2026 DO - 10.3390/ijms27167353 AN - PMID:42653355 ER -
The pathological deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) in the walls of cerebral blood vessels as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a key feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is linked to impaired clearance of Aβ via intramural periarterial drainage (IPAD). The spontaneous contractions of cerebral smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are thought to drive IPAD, but the relationship between vascular aging and Aβ accumulation remains unclear. We propose a unified framework centered on cerebral intramural cells (CICs), including arterial SMCs, specialized pericyte subtypes, as mediators of vascular dysfunction and neurodegeneration. We integrate current evidence from studies of cerebral small vessel disease, blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction, pericyte biology, vascular aging, cerebral perfusion, and IPAD. CICs regulate vasomotion, capillary flow, BBB integrity, and IPAD. Their dysfunction impairs perfusion and protein clearance, increasing vulnerability in white matter and the hippocampus. These vascular alterations interact with amyloid and inflammatory processes, contributing to synaptic dysfunction, network disconnection, and neurodegeneration. CICs represent potential therapeutic targets. A CIC-centered framework may help explain the links between vascular dysfunction, impaired Aβ clearance, and neurodegeneration in AD and CAA.