Cerebral Arteriosclerosis
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Cerebral arteriosclerosis is the result of
thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries in the brain.
Symptoms of cerebral arteriosclerosis include headache, facial pain,
and impaired vision.
Cerebral arteriosclerosis can cause serious health problems. If
the walls of an artery are too thick, or a blood clot becomes caught
in the narrow passage, blood flow to the brain can become blocked
and cause an ischemic stroke. When the thickening and
hardening is uneven, arterial walls can develop bulges (called
aneurysms). If a bulge ruptures, bleeding in the brain can cause a
hemorrhagic stroke. Both types of stroke can be fatal.
Cerebral arteriosclerosis is also related to a condition known as
vascular dementia, in which small, symptom-free strokes
cause cumulative damage and death to neurons in the brain.
Personality changes in the elderly, such as apathy, weeping,
transient befuddlement, or irritability, might indicate that
cerebral arteriosclerosis is present in the brain. Computer
tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain
can help reveal the presence of cerebral arteriosclerosis before
ischemic strokes, hemorrhagic strokes, or vascular dementia
develop.
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Treatment for cerebral arteriosclerosis can
include medications or surgery. Physicians also may recommend
treatments to help people control high blood pressure, quit
cigarette smoking, and reduce cholesterol levels, all of which are
risk factors for cerebral arteriosclerosis.
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Cerebral arteriosclerosis can lead to life
threatening health events such as ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes.
People who survive stroke may have long-term neurological and motor
impairments.
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The NINDS supports an extensive research program on
stroke and conditions that can lead to stroke. Much of this research
is aimed at finding ways to prevent and treat conditions such as
cerebral arteriosclerosis.
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National Stroke Association
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHBLI)
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