美国西雅图儿童研究所Andy Y. Shih小组宣布他们的最新研究揭示了在衰老过程中，毛细血管-静脉引流受损导致小鼠白质胶质增生和脱髓鞘。相关论文于2025年8月12日发表于国际顶尖学术期刊《自然—神经科学》杂志上。

利用深多光子成像技术，研究了小鼠皮层第6层髓鞘组织和胼胝体的微血管网络。该研究团队发现了稀疏、广泛延伸的小静脉，称为皮层主小静脉，它们专门引流深层组织，类似于人类皮层和U-纤维界面的脉管系统。衰老导致皮质小静脉深部分支的毛细血管选择性收缩和稀疏。这导致轻度低脑充血，与深部组织的小胶质细胞增生、星形胶质细胞增生和脱髓鞘有关，但与上皮层无关。在颈动脉狭窄的成年小鼠中，诱导类似的低过脑离子引发了类似的组织病理，这是第六层和胼胝体所特有的。因此，毛细血管-静脉引流受损是低氧血症的一个因素，也是在衰老过程中保持血液流向白质的潜在治疗靶点。

据了解，随着年龄的增长，大脑白质的逐渐减少会导致认知能力的下降，但是血流量的减少究竟是一种前兆还是结果仍有争议。

附：英文原文

Title: Impaired capillary–venous drainage contributes to gliosis and demyelination in mouse white matter during aging

Author: Stamenkovic, Stefan, Schmid, Franca, Gurler, Gokce, Abolmaali, Farzaneh, Weitermann, Nicolas A., Takasaki, Kevin T., Bonney, Stephanie K., Sosa, Maria J., Bennett, Hannah C., Kim, Yongsoo, Waters, Jack, Shih, Andy Y.

Issue&Volume: 2025-08-12

Abstract: The progressive loss of cerebral white matter during aging contributes to cognitive decline, but whether reduced blood flow is a cause or a consequence remains debatable. Using deep multi-photon imaging in mice, we examined microvascular networks perfusing myelinated tissues in cortical layer 6 and the corpus callosum. We identified sparse, wide-reaching venules, termed principal cortical venules, which exclusively drain deep tissues and resemble the vasculature at the human cortex and U-fiber interface. Aging led to selective constriction and rarefaction of capillaries in deep branches of principal cortical venules. This resulted in mild hypoperfusion that was associated with microgliosis, astrogliosis and demyelination in deep tissues, but not the upper cortex. Induction of comparable hypoperfusion in adult mice using carotid artery stenosis triggered a similar tissue pathology specific to layer 6 and the corpus callosum. Thus, impaired capillary–venous drainage is a contributor to hypoperfusion and a potential therapeutic target for preserving blood flow to white matter during aging.

DOI: 10.1038/s41593-025-02023-z

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-025-02023-z