Figure 6.

Schematic summary of the neurovascular unit (NVU) changes after juvenile traumatic brain injury (jTBI). An early traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces long-term changes within the NVU with a decrease of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in endothelium associated with an increase of perlecan and fibronectin staining. Collectively, these changes within the NVU may contribute to the decreased amyloid-beta (Aβ) clearance observed after TBI and accelerate the neurodegenerative process. The presence of Aβ may also contribute to the phenotypic transformation of the NVU, ending in a vicious circle.