Faculty bio | Aging and Vascular Physiology Laboratory | (541) 346-5058

Ashley Walker is an academic expert in aging, blood vessel health and Alzheimer’s disease. Her research focuses on finding the causes of impaired vascular health in older adults and how declines in vascular health contribute to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In the past, clinicians and researchers thought amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain were the only causes of the declines in thinking, memory, and learning that occur with Alzheimer’s disease. However, new research finds that plaques and tangles are only one part of the disease. The Aging and Vascular Physiology Laboratory seeks to better understand how impaired arteries and capillaries in the brain lead to dementia and the progression of Alzheimer’ disease. Using this knowledge, Ashley and her colleagues hope to develop better diagnostic markers and treatment options for patients with AD. 

Recent Media:
UO lab looking at aging arteries and Alzheimer’s disease (Around the O, May 5, 2020)