Date and Time: March 8 (Fri.), 2019, 13:00 – 14:30
Place: Meeting room #802, Building E-4, UEC
Speaker: Zoltan Ungvari (Professor, Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Dept. of Geriatric Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA)
Chair: Prof. Kazuto Masamoto
Title: Aging-induced neurovascular dysfunction: novel mechanisms
Abstract: Moment-to-moment adjustment of cerebral blood flow via neurovascular coupling has an essential role in maintenance of healthy cognitive function. In advanced age increased oxidative stress and cerebromicrovascular endothelial dysfunction impair neurovascular coupling, likely contributing to age-related decline of higher cortical functions. There are suggestions in the literature and new data will be presented that in aged laboratory rodents neurovascular coupling and endothelium-dependent cerebromicrovascular dilation can be rescued, which represents a potential therapeutic target for the promotion of healthy brain aging. In particular, the potential role of oxidative stress, cellular energetic dysfunction, neuroendocrine changes and cellular senescence in neurovascular dysfunction will be discussed. (Dr. Ungvari is a biogerontologist and vascular pathophysiologist who is an internationally recognized expert in the field of vascular aging. His research focuses on cellular and molecular mechanisms of vascular aging, microvascular contributions to age-related cognitive decline and developing new therapeutic approaches to extend cardiovascular/cerebrovascular health span.)