Mia Viuf Skøtt
Insigth into microvascular dynamics in health, ageing, Alzheimers disease

Abstract:

Ageing and vascular pathologies cause progressive structural and functional vascular impairments, including reduced neurovascular coupling, arterial stiffening, and capillary rarefaction, all of which compromise cardiovascular function. In this context, the academic world has increasingly recognised that dysfunction within the cerebral microvasculature may precede, amplify, or even drive components of neurodegenerative disease rather than merely accompany them.

This thesis is based on six studies that explore whether and how microvascular dynamics, such as pulsatility and vasomotion, change in healthy ageing, in Alzheimer's disease, and how different anaesthetic agents affect these dynamics. The results show that healthy ageing does not lead to significant changes until old age, but there are clear differences between the sexes. In Alzheimer's disease, both females and males show reduced contractility in isolated arteries, where females show a recovery of contractility, whereas males show no effect after low-dose, low-frequency GLP-1 treatment.

Main supervisor: Professor Leif Østergaard, CFIN, Aarhus University

Assessment committee: 
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• Susanne J. Van Veluw, Professor, BHF-UK DRI Centre for Vascular Dementia Research, Edinburgh, UK
• Hajime Hirase, Professor, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen,
• Christoffer Laustsen, Professor, MR research centre, Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital

ALL ARE WELCOME

After the defense CFIN is hosting a small reception in building 1710, Universitetsbyen 3, 8000 Aarhus C.

Contact:
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Mia Viuf Skøtt
mia.vs@cfin.au.dk
+45 30117557