Vascular Factors and Mitochondrial Dysfunction: a Central Role in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is complex, and only a minority of cases appears to be primarily genetic. A relationship between genetic and acquired vascular factors in AD has been hypothesized. Many vascular risk factors for AD, such as atherosclerosis, stroke and cardiac disease in the aging individual, could result in cerebrovascular dysfunction. A major vascular susceptibility factor gene is the apolipoprotein E gene, found to be associated with sporadic late-onset AD cases. Oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction have been also implicated in the pathogenesis of AD, but the question as to whether they are involved in the onset and progression of the pathology or rather represent a consequence of neurodegeneration is still debated. Recent evidence suggests that chronic hypoperfusion may trigger mitochondrial dysfunction in vascular cells which, in turn, may enhance the production of reactive oxygen species. In this short review we revise the link between vascular factors and mitochondrial dysfunction in AD pathogenesis.