Imaging the brain and its vasculature in aging: applications of optical coherence tomography angiography

Abstract Using the label-free three-dimensional optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), both anatomical and functional changes in the cerebral vasculature can be quantitatively measured on one imaging platform. This chapter introduces various OCTA algorithms to measure the characteristic age-related differences in vessel tortuosity, capillary density, and cerebral blood flow, which can be revealed in mouse models of aging with strong histological data consistency. The most advanced development of OCTA capillary velocimetry is highlighted with an application to obtain capillary velocity and heterogeneity in the cerebral tissue bed. The results offer OCTA as a promising tool to study vascular aging, shedding new light on the investigation of age-related neurodegenerative disorders.