There is now a convincing body of evidence from observational studies that the majority of modifiable
Alzheimer's disease and related
dementia (ADRD) risk factors are vascular in nature. In addition, the co-existence of
cerebrovascular disease with AD is more common than AD alone, and conditions resulting in
brain ischemia likely promote detrimental effects of AD pathology.
Oxylipins are a class of bioactive
lipid mediators derived from the oxidation of long-chain
polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) which act as modulators of both vascular tone and
inflammation. In vascular
cognitive impairment (VCI), there is emerging evidence that
oxylipins may have both protective and detrimental effects on brain structure, cognitive performance, and
disease progression. In this review, we focus on
oxylipin relationships with vascular and inflammatory risk factors in human studies and animal models pertinent to ADRD. In addition, we discuss future research directions with the potential to impact the trajectory of ADRD risk and
disease progression.