Age is the pivotal risk factor for different common medical conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and dementia. Among age-related disorders, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, represent the leading causes of premature mortality strictly related to vascular ageing, a pathological condition characterized by endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart disease and stroke. These features negatively impact on the brain, owing to altered cerebral blood flow, neurovascular coupling and impaired endothelial permeability leading to cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) as Vascular Dementia (VD) and Parkinsonism (VP). It is an increasing opinion that neurodegenerative disorders and cerebrovascular diseases are associated from a pathogenetic point of view, and in this review, we discuss how cerebrovascular dysfunctions, due to epigenetic alterations, are linked with neuronal degeneration/dysfunction that lead to cognitive impairment. The relation between neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases are reviewed with a focus on role of ncRNAs in age-related vascular diseases impairing the endothelium in the blood–brain barrier with consequent dysfunction of cerebral blood flow. In this review we dissert about different regulatory mechanisms of gene expression implemented by ncRNAs in the pathogenesis of age-related neurovascular impairment, aiming to highlight the potential use of ncRNAs as biomarkers for diagnostic/prognostic purposes as well as novel therapeutic targets.

年龄是心血管疾病、癌症和痴呆症等不同常见疾病的关键风险因素。在与年龄相关的疾病中，心脑血管疾病是导致过早死亡的主要原因，血管衰老是一种以内皮功能障碍、动脉粥样硬化、高血压、心脏病和中风为特征的病理状况。由于脑血流改变、神经血管耦合和内皮通透性受损，这些特征对大脑产生负面影响，导致脑血管疾病 (CVD)，如血管性痴呆 (VD) 和帕金森病 (VP)。越来越多的人认为，从发病机制的角度来看，神经退行性疾病和脑血管疾病是相关的，在这篇综述中，我们讨论了脑血管功能障碍如何，由于表观遗传改变，与导致认知障碍的神经元变性/功能障碍有关。综述了神经退行性疾病和脑血管疾病之间的关系，重点关注 ncRNA 在年龄相关血管疾病中的作用，这些血管疾病会损害血脑屏障中的内皮，从而导致脑血流功能障碍。在这篇综述中，我们论述了 ncRNA 在与年龄相关的神经血管损伤的发病机制中实施的基因表达的不同调控机制，旨在强调 ncRNA 作为诊断/预后目的的生物标志物以及新的治疗靶标的潜在用途。综述了神经退行性疾病和脑血管疾病之间的关系，重点关注 ncRNA 在年龄相关血管疾病中的作用，这些血管疾病会损害血脑屏障中的内皮，从而导致脑血流功能障碍。在这篇综述中，我们论述了 ncRNA 在与年龄相关的神经血管损伤的发病机制中实施的基因表达的不同调控机制，旨在强调 ncRNA 作为诊断/预后目的的生物标志物以及新的治疗靶标的潜在用途。综述了神经退行性疾病和脑血管疾病之间的关系，重点关注 ncRNA 在年龄相关血管疾病中的作用，这些血管疾病会损害血脑屏障中的内皮，从而导致脑血流功能障碍。在这篇综述中，我们论述了 ncRNA 在与年龄相关的神经血管损伤的发病机制中实施的基因表达的不同调控机制，旨在强调 ncRNA 作为诊断/预后目的的生物标志物以及新的治疗靶标的潜在用途。