Figure 2
From: Angiogenesis in old-aged subjects after ischemic stroke: a cautionary note for investigators
Central nervous system "normal" senescence and pathological changes. Aging in the CNS involves a range of diverse changes, including those associated with normal senescence and present in all surveyed brains. These include reduced weight of brain as a result of decreased neuron counts, as well as reduced vessel density and integrity in the vasculature. More pathological changes include atherosclerosis, small vessel disease and amyloid proteins. These combine with normal vaso- constriction and dilation effects to alter overall cerebral blood flow.