A proteomic signature of vascular dysfunction linked to tauopathy and degeneration in the aging brain

Abstract

Small vessel disease (SVD) impacts healthy aging of organs across the body, yet its contributions to adverse brain aging remain poorly defined. Here we show thromboinflammation, a core feature of SVD, as a driver of adverse brain aging. We identify cerebrospinal fluid fibrinogen as a marker of brain thromboinflammation and screen neurovascular biosignatures mediating its impact on synaptic vulnerability along the full spectrum of brain aging from cognitively typical, amyloid-negative to cognitively impaired, amyloid-positive older adults. We identified 53 proteins mediating the effect of fibrinogen on synaptic markers in 1,655 donors from three independent cohorts. Single-cell transcriptomic mapping revealed mediator enrichment in neurovascular unit cells. Pathway analysis demonstrated dysregulation of angiogenesis, fibrosis, and immune signaling. Vascular and microglial-enriched biosignatures associated with compromised white matter integrity. These findings implicate thromboinflammation as an early, amyloid-independent pathway to neurodegeneration and tauopathy, establishing vascular health as fundamental to preserving brain healthspan.