Periventricular destabilization and ventriculomegaly in aging rats: implications for reduced neurogenesis and cognition

Background Cognitive deficits in aging, NPH and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are exacerbated by compromised neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) and subventricular zone (SVZ). We previously found beta-amyloid (Aβ) retention in cortex and hippocampus of aged rats and diseased humans, due to greater RAGE and lesser LRP-1 expression of microvascular transporters for Aβ. Now we focus on the periventricular DG and SVZ that harbor stem cells convertible to new neurons in adults. Working hypothesis: Aβ retention in neurogenic zones harms neural stem cells, leading to reduced cognition.