Essential Pieces of the Puzzle: The Roles of VEGF and Dopamine in Aging
Aging is a well-known, complex physiological process characterized by progressive functional decline and increased susceptibility to disease, particularly in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. While genetic and environmental factors can shape its advancement, molecular regulators such as vascul...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Cells |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/15/1178 |
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| author | Melanie B. Thompson Sanjay P. Tirupattur Nandini Vishwakarma Laxmansa C. Katwa |
| author_facet | Melanie B. Thompson Sanjay P. Tirupattur Nandini Vishwakarma Laxmansa C. Katwa |
| author_sort | Melanie B. Thompson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aging is a well-known, complex physiological process characterized by progressive functional decline and increased susceptibility to disease, particularly in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. While genetic and environmental factors can shape its advancement, molecular regulators such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and dopamine signaling have emerged as critical factors in maintaining vascular and neural health. VEGF promotes angiogenesis and tissue repair, while dopamine, primarily recognized for its neuromodulatory roles, regulates vascular tone and appears to modulate VEGF activity. Despite substantial research on their roles in cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, little is known about how VEGF and dopamine interact in the aging process, particularly in healthy versus unhealthy aging contexts. This review describes existing evidence on the independent and potentially complementary roles of VEGF and dopamine in aging, emphasizing their influence on maintaining or improving neurovascular health. It also explores how lifestyle interventions may be beneficial in modulating VEGF and dopamine signaling pathways in the aging population. By addressing the current knowledge gap surrounding VEGF–dopamine crosstalk, this review highlights the need for further investigation into their combined effects and targeting molecular interaction to unlock new research avenues for innovative strategies for healthy aging and the potential treatment of age-related diseases. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-63497c5ae7ac4533b58866617cbc3c3b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj-art-63497c5ae7ac4533b58866617cbc3c3b2025-08-20T03:36:39ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092025-07-011415117810.3390/cells14151178Essential Pieces of the Puzzle: The Roles of VEGF and Dopamine in AgingMelanie B. Thompson0Sanjay P. Tirupattur1Nandini Vishwakarma2Laxmansa C. Katwa3Department of Physiology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USADepartment of Physiology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USADepartment of Physiology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USADepartment of Physiology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USAAging is a well-known, complex physiological process characterized by progressive functional decline and increased susceptibility to disease, particularly in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. While genetic and environmental factors can shape its advancement, molecular regulators such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and dopamine signaling have emerged as critical factors in maintaining vascular and neural health. VEGF promotes angiogenesis and tissue repair, while dopamine, primarily recognized for its neuromodulatory roles, regulates vascular tone and appears to modulate VEGF activity. Despite substantial research on their roles in cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, little is known about how VEGF and dopamine interact in the aging process, particularly in healthy versus unhealthy aging contexts. This review describes existing evidence on the independent and potentially complementary roles of VEGF and dopamine in aging, emphasizing their influence on maintaining or improving neurovascular health. It also explores how lifestyle interventions may be beneficial in modulating VEGF and dopamine signaling pathways in the aging population. By addressing the current knowledge gap surrounding VEGF–dopamine crosstalk, this review highlights the need for further investigation into their combined effects and targeting molecular interaction to unlock new research avenues for innovative strategies for healthy aging and the potential treatment of age-related diseases.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/15/1178agingVEGFdopaminecardiovascular diseaseneurodegenerative disease |
| spellingShingle | Melanie B. Thompson Sanjay P. Tirupattur Nandini Vishwakarma Laxmansa C. Katwa Essential Pieces of the Puzzle: The Roles of VEGF and Dopamine in Aging Cells aging VEGF dopamine cardiovascular disease neurodegenerative disease |
| title | Essential Pieces of the Puzzle: The Roles of VEGF and Dopamine in Aging |
| title_full | Essential Pieces of the Puzzle: The Roles of VEGF and Dopamine in Aging |
| title_fullStr | Essential Pieces of the Puzzle: The Roles of VEGF and Dopamine in Aging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Essential Pieces of the Puzzle: The Roles of VEGF and Dopamine in Aging |
| title_short | Essential Pieces of the Puzzle: The Roles of VEGF and Dopamine in Aging |
| title_sort | essential pieces of the puzzle the roles of vegf and dopamine in aging |
| topic | aging VEGF dopamine cardiovascular disease neurodegenerative disease |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/15/1178 |
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