Figure 1.

Pathophysiology of leukoaraiosis. The existence of artery luminal stenosis, artery wall stiffness, endothelial dysfunction, and venous drainage limitation due to risk factors such as aging, hypertension, diabetes, and genetic factors, etc. These directly contributes to the diffuse loss of autoregulation, venous hypertension, BBB damage, and hypoperfusion. Thereafter, demyelination, oligodendrocyte apoptosis, and axonal damage occurs in response to stimulation by inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The above processes are considered to be the main pathogenic factors of LA (BBB, blood brain barrier).