. 2013 Feb 27;33(5):635–648. doi: 10.1038/jcbfm.2013.18

Table 1. Changes in capillary wall morphology in conditions known to predispose to stroke.

Risk factor	Changes in capillary morphology	Reference
Aging	Variable capillary diameters, increased tortuosity, twisting, and looping of capillaries. Thickening basement membranes with inclusions. Pericapillary fibrosis. Pericyte loss (human)	¹⁰¹ ¹⁰²
Hypertension	Pericyte degeneration, swelling of endothelium, and surrounding astrocyte endfeet. Thickened basement membrane (animal models)	¹⁰³ ¹⁰⁴
Diabetes	Loss of pericytes and thickening of capillary basement membrane (animal models). Thickening of basement membrane (humans)	^{104, 105} ^{106, 107}
Smoking	Endothelial cell damage, subendothelial edema (peripheral arterial and arteriolar endothelium)	¹⁰⁸
Alcoholism	Swelling of pericapillary astrocytic endfeet	¹⁰⁹
Prior stroke	Pericyte constrictions (animal models)	^{18, 110}