AD/PD 2022 | Blood-brain barrier dysfunction in disease

Richard Daneman, PhD, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, describes widespread blood-brain barrier dysfunction seen in conditions such as stroke and multiple sclerosis, contrasting with localized dysfunction in specific areas of the blood-brain barrier, seen in Alzheimer’s disease. Blood-brain barrier dysfunction can occur due to the loss of maintenance signals, such as Wnt signaling, or due to breakdown signals, such as vascular endothelial growth factor or chemokine signaling. Understanding the mechanisms leading to blood-brain barrier dysfunction introduces opportunity to target the cause, limiting the pathophysiology of disease. This interview took place at the AD/PD™ 2022 Conference in Barcelona, Spain.