Amyloid β oligomers constrict human capillaries in Alzheimer’s disease via signaling to pericytes

Pericytes put the squeeze on cognition Like a computer, the brain needs a reliable source of power, which is provided as oxygen and glucose in the blood. However, in many neurological disorders this energy supply is disrupted. Brain blood flow is controlled by adjustment of the diameters of the vessels supplying the blood. Nortley et al. found that, both in humans developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in a mouse model of AD, brain capillaries become squeezed by pericytes (see the Perspective by Liesz). By defining the underlying mechanism, they suggest potential targets for therapy in early AD. Science , this issue p. eaav9518 ; see also p. 223

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  AstraZeneca
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  Wellcome

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  Wellcome Trust

  Awards: 099222/Z/12/Z, 099222
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  Chulabhorn Royal Academy
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  National Institute for Health and Care Research
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  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

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  Lundbeckfonden
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  University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
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  UCLH Biomedical Research Centre