Cerebral small vessel pathology is now known to be associated with the development of cognitive impairment and mild motor impairments such as gait disturbance in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. This dissertation explores the hypothesis that blood brain barrier dysfunction is an early event in cerebral ischemia and contributes to the development of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). A common rodent model of CSVD is permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion in the rat. This model was used to study several aspects of the progression of CSVD including the timecourse of blood brain barrier permeability changes following the onset of ischemia, gait disturbance, the expression of tight junction proteins and cytokine expression. It was determined that BBB permeability was elevated for 2 weeks following BCCAO and ischemic rats displayed lower gait velocity. There was no change in expression of TJ proteins. However, ischemic rats had higher levels of some proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in brain tissue with no obvious changes in plasma levels. The mechanisms underlying the increase in BBB permeability were studied in vitro using artificial barriers made of confluent rat brain microvascular endothelial cells. Cerebral ischemia has been reported to cause an increase in plasma toxicity, likely by elevating the numbers of circulating microparticles (MPs). MPs isolated from the plasma of ischemic rats were applied to artificial barriers where it was found that they act mainly as vectors of TNF-α signaling. MPs induce activation of caspase-3 and the Rho/Rho kinase pathways. It is concluded that most of the increase in barrier permeability is due to apoptosis and disassembly of actin cytoskeleton and disruption of adherens junctions IV and not an increase in transcellular transport. The effects of treatment with the type III phosphodiesterase inhibitor cilostazol on dye extravasation in the brain, glial activation, white matter damage and motor performance were evaluated. It was determined that cilostazol could improve the increased BBB permeability and gait disturbance and microglial activation in optic tract following BCCAO. Also, the effects of treatment with cilostazol on plasma toxicity in vivo (24h and 14d following BCCAO) and artificial barriers (in vitro) were assessed. It was found that cilostazol could reduce plasma toxicity at 24h and improve increased endothelial barrier permeability that is induced by MP treatment respectively. In summary BBB dysfunction occurs in the rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion with no differences in expression of TJ proteins. There is a mild motor disturbance in the form of lower gait velocity following BCCAO. Cytokines released in brain tissue may be associated with pathological consequences following BCCAO while there is no significant difference in plasma levels and circulating MPs may play a role in BBB dysfunction.