PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Aging increases brain’s sensitivity to hypoxia and blood-brain barrier damage in mice

“As advanced age is associated with increased incidence of hypoxia-associated conditions such as asthma, emphysema, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and apnea, our findings have important implications for many people”

2025-06-03
(Press-News.org)

“As advanced age is associated with increased incidence of hypoxia-associated conditions such as asthma, emphysema, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and apnea, our findings have important implications for many people.”

BUFFALO, NY — June 3, 2025 — A new research paper was published in  Aging (Aging-US) on May 1, 2025, as the cover of Volume 17, Issue 5, titled “Defining the hypoxic thresholds that trigger blood-brain barrier disruption: the effect of age.”

In this study, researchers Arjun Sapkota, Sebok K. Halder, and Richard Milner from San Diego Biomedical Research Institute investigated how aging affects the brain’s vulnerability to low oxygen, or hypoxia. Using C57BL/6J mice ranging from 2 to 23 months of age, they identified specific oxygen levels that disrupt the blood-brain barrier (BBB)—a critical structure that protects brain tissue from harmful substances. The findings are important for understanding age-related cognitive decline and the potential risks faced by individuals with chronic oxygen-limiting conditions such as asthma, sleep apnea, emphysema, and heart disease.

The BBB is essential for maintaining brain health. In this study, mild and prolonged hypoxia—called chronic mild hypoxia—was found to compromise the BBB in mice. Older mice showed significantly more BBB disruption than younger ones. Notably, barrier weakening and blood vessel changes occurred at oxygen levels of just 15% in aged mice, compared to 13% in young mice. These data suggest that the aging brain is more sensitive to oxygen deprivation, even at levels that may be considered only mildly hypoxic.

The researchers also determined when this vulnerability emerged. The BBB showed increased sensitivity to low oxygen not only in aged mice but also in mice as young as 2 to 6 months, with a second spike occurring between 12 and 15 months—equivalent to middle age in mice. These findings may reflect age-dependent changes in brain vascular function and remodeling capacity.

“Hypoxia-induced endothelial proliferation was relatively constant across the age range, but advanced age strongly enhanced the degree of BBB disruption (4-6-fold greater in 23 months vs. 2 months old).”

Another key focus was microglial activation, a sign of brain inflammation. Aged mice exhibited higher microglial activation across all oxygen levels, including normal conditions. Chronic microglial activation is closely linked to neuroinflammation and has been implicated in diseases such as Alzheimer’s. While the rate of blood vessel formation was constant across ages, the degree of BBB disruption increased sharply with age, suggesting that repair mechanisms may weaken over time.

These results may help explain why older adults with chronic hypoxia-related diseases are at higher risk for neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. The study also draws attention to the risks of high-altitude exposure for aging populations, where oxygen levels naturally drop.

Altogether, these findings underscore the importance of protecting brain health in older individuals by managing oxygen exposure and reducing hypoxia-related risks. The researchers emphasize the need to develop new therapies that support blood-brain barrier integrity, particularly in aging populations exposed to chronic or intermittent low-oxygen conditions.

Read the full paper: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206241

Corresponding authors: Richard Milner – rmilner@sdbri.org

Keywords: aging, blood-brain barrier integrity, endothelial proliferation, microglia, chronic mild hypoxia, hypoxic threshold

Click here to sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article.

______

To learn more about the journal, please visit our website at www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us on social media at:

Facebook X Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Pinterest Spotify, and available wherever you listen to podcasts

Click here to subscribe to Aging publication updates.

For media inquiries, please contact media@impactjournals.com.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Eating more phytosterols could lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes

2025-06-03
Heart disease and type 2 diabetes rank among the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, and eating a healthy diet rich in plant-based foods can help to prevent or delay both of these conditions. New research suggests that a particular component of plant-based foods, known as phytosterol, could be instrumental in lowering the risk.   According to the study, people who consumed more phytosterol—a compound structurally similar to cholesterol found in some plant foods—had a significantly lower risk of both heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Higher phytosterol intake was also associated with markers of better insulin regulation and reduced inflammation, ...

Eating more sweet food may not sway sweet preference

2025-06-03
Turns out, your sweet tooth may not be shaped by your diet. Findings from a new randomized controlled trial suggest that eating more sweet-tasting foods doesn’t increase someone’s preference for sweet tastes.   The researchers found that after six months on diets with varying amounts of sweet foods, study participants' preference for sweetness stayed the same, no matter how much sweet-tasting foods they ate.   “We also found that diets with lower or higher dietary sweetness ...

Scientists propose new approach for classifying processed foods

2025-06-03
Recent years have seen growing scrutiny and debate around processed foods, but researchers have struggled to pin down what aspects of food processing are most relevant to health. Now, scientists have developed a system for classifying processed foods based on information about the health impacts associated with particular ingredients.   The new approach was developed by WISEcode, creator of an app that provides consumers with information about the food ingredients found in packaged goods.   “WISEcode’s approach is more nuanced and objective than previous classification ...

New study: Daily mango intake may support postmenopausal heart and metabolic health

2025-06-03
ORLANDO, Fla., June 3, 2025 – Each year, 1.3 million women enter menopause—a life stage during which heart disease risk rises significantly. Nearly half of American women are affected by cardiovascular disease, and since women spend up to 40% of their lives postmenopausal, managing heart health is especially important. A new study published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association found that eating about two servings of mangos daily for two weeks (330 g, about 1.5 cups) significantly ...

Study finds daily cup of beans boosts heart and metabolic health

2025-06-03
A new study suggests that regularly eating a cup of beans a day may offer measurable benefits for heart and metabolic health. Incorporating beans into daily diets could serve as a simple, cost-effective way to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.   The 12-week study of 72 people with prediabetes showed an association between chickpea consumption and improved cholesterol levels, while eating black beans was linked with reduced inflammation.   "Individuals with prediabetes often exhibit ...

Freshwater fish in US carry introduced human-infecting parasites

2025-06-03
More than 90% of popular freshwater game fish in Southern California contained an introduced parasite capable of infecting humans, according to a new study from researchers at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.  The parasites found in the study — two species of flatworms called trematodes — typically cause gastrointestinal problems, weight loss or lethargy when they infect humans. In some rare and severe cases, the parasites have caused strokes or heart attacks. The findings, published June 3 in the Journal of ...

Sanaria reports positive initial safety results for groundbreaking PfSPZ-LARC2 malaria vaccine

2025-06-03
Safety Monitoring Committee Clears Clinical Trial to Advance to Younger Age Groups Physician-scientists at Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS) in Burkina Faso have successfully completed initial safety evaluations in 30 adult Burkinabés as the first phase of a clinical trial of Sanaria® PfSPZ-LARC2 Vaccine, which is designed to prevent infection with Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The clinical trial is being conducted in collaboration with Sanaria Inc., Seattle Children’s Research Institute (SCRI) and ...

FAU study explores barriers and trends in cannabis use disorder treatment

2025-06-03
As cannabis becomes more potent and widely used in the United States – especially among young adults – concerns about cannabis use disorder are growing. More than 16 million Americans meet the criteria, yet most never receive treatment. Despite the scale of the issue, we know surprisingly little about who gets help and why so many don’t. This treatment gap raises urgent questions about access, awareness and stigma. As laws and attitudes around cannabis shift, understanding the real-world barriers ...

Semi-automated manufacturing process for cost-efficient quantum cascade laser modules

2025-06-03
Resonantly tunable quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are high-performance laser light sources for a wide range of spectroscopy applications in the mid-infrared (MIR) range. Their high brilliance enables minimal measurement times for more precise and efficient characterization processes and can be used, for example, in chemical and pharmaceutical industries, medicine or security technology. Until now, however, the production of QCL modules has been relatively complex and expensive. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF has therefore developed a semi-automated process ...

First direct observation of the trapped waves that shook the world

2025-06-03
In September 2023, a bizarre global seismic signal was observed which appeared every 90 seconds over nine days – and was then repeated a month later. Almost a year later, two scientific studies proposed that the cause of these seismic anomalies were two mega tsunamis which were triggered in a remote East Greenland fjord by two major landslides which occurred due to warming of an unnamed glacier. The waves were thought to have become trapped in the fjord system, forming standing waves (or seiches) that undulated back and forth, causing the mystery signals. However, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Inherited genetic trait predicts resistance to immunotherapy for deadly skin cancer

Oxford physicists recreate extreme quantum vacuum effects

Talking therapy could be effective treatment for stroke survivors

A new method for studying mechanical proteins and their involvement in muscular disorders

Two big events shaped the herbivores during 60 million years but their role remains

TU Graz study: front brake lights could significantly reduce the number of road accidents

A new mathematical model helps European regions set suitable targets to close gender gaps in education

Rapid testing for sexually transmitted infections on the horizon

Tech sector emissions, energy use grow with rise of AI

Smithsonian research reveals that probiotics slow spread of deadly disease decimating Caribbean reefs

Fungal resistance in wheat: preserving biodiversity for food security

’Round midnight: Late-night romance among medaka in near natural setting

Why seismic waves spontaneously race inside the earth

Survival of the greenest: Why world’s oldest organizations are surpassing young upstarts in environmental sustainability

Have female earwigs evolved their forceps as weapons in battles for mates?

Baby's microbiome may protect against childhood viral infection

Diabetes drug shows benefits for patients with liver disease

P2Y12 drugs may be better than aspirin to prevent heart attack and stroke in patients with coronary artery disease

Long-term data show sustained efficacy and safety of zigakibart in patients with IgA nephropathy

Landmark study reveals survival limits of kidney transplantation in older and high-risk patients

Targeting mitochondria to fight leukemia: Rice University-led research team pursues new treatment strategies

Antibiotics taken during pregnancy may reduce preterm births

Vigilance and targeted public health measures are essential in the face of the diphtheria epidemic that has affected vulnerable populations in Western Europe since 2022

New study: Personalized exercise boosts health for people with neuromuscular disease

FAMU-FSU College of Engineering researchers discover universal law of quantum vortex dynamics

AI analysis of ancient handwriting provides new age estimates for Dead Sea Scrolls

As many as 1 in 5 women with a history of pregnancy or testing for pregnancy report using crisis pregnancy centers across 4 US states

Six decades of data on North Atlantic phytoplankton reveal that their biomass has decreased up to 2% annually across most of the Atlantic Ocean, with potentially widespread implications for the wider

GPT-generated educational materials for urological cancer patients, translated by AI into five languages, are rated by doctors as easier to read than human-authored versions while being just as clear,

Ethical considerations for closing projects "well" in the context of withdrawal of USAID

[Press-News.org] Aging increases brain’s sensitivity to hypoxia and blood-brain barrier damage in mice
“As advanced age is associated with increased incidence of hypoxia-associated conditions such as asthma, emphysema, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and apnea, our findings have important implications for many people”