A Cerebrovascular Hypothesis of Neurodegeneration in mTBI

OBJECTIVES: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a major public health concern that has generated considerable scientific interest as a complex brain disorder that is associated with long-term neural consequences. This article reviews the literature on cerebrovascular dysfunction in chronic mTBI, with a focus on the long-term neural implications of such dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS: Evidence is presented from human neuroimaging studies to support cerebrovascular involvement in long-term mTBI pathology. In addition, a pathway between mTBI and neurodegeneration via cerebrovascular dysfunction is explored. CONCLUSIONS: Future work focused on identifying the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the neural consequences of mTBI will be important to guide therapeutic interventions and long-term care for patients with mTBI.