Brain shrinkage

Introduction to brain atrophy Atrophy of the brain is generally prone to occur in the elderly, but it can also be seen in adolescents and young children with partial brain dysplasia. There are many causes of brain atrophy, such as craniocerebral trauma, cerebral embolism, meningitis, cerebral vascular malformation, brain tumor, Epilepsy, long-term drinking, malnutrition, hypoparathyroidism, brain dysplasia, abuse of sedatives, gas poisoning, alcoholism, chemical poisoning, etc. can cause brain atrophy. basic knowledge The proportion of illness: this disease is rare, the incidence rate is about 0.0001% - 0.0002% Susceptible people: prone to the elderly Mode of infection: non-infectious Complications: memory impairment

Causes of brain atrophy

Cerebrovascular disease (40%):

Cerebrovascular disease is the most common cause of "brain atrophy, dementia". Mainly have cerebral infarction, cerebral thrombosis, cerebral hemorrhage and other diseases, due to a series of factors such as increased blood viscosity, slow blood flow, rough blood vessel wall, etc., caused by wall thrombosis, narrowing or even clogging of the vascular lumen, leading to blood vessels Brain tissue cells in the segmental region are ischemic, hypoxic, atrophic, and even necrotic, eventually forming brain atrophy, dementia, and death.

Genetic factors (15%):

Many studies at home and abroad have shown that offspring of patients with brain atrophy and Alzheimer's disease have more chances to develop the disease. Studies have shown that it may be a recessive genetic gene on the autosome.

Endocrine disorders (15%):

Such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypothyroidism and hypothyroidism may cause brain atrophy and dementia.

Tumor (10%):

Metabolic disorders caused by malignant tumors may also be the cause of brain atrophy. Brain tumors can also directly damage brain tissue leading to brain atrophy and dementia.

Other factors (10%):

Carbon monoxide poisoning, persistent epileptic seizures, and hydrocephalus can be the cause of brain atrophy. In addition, long-term emotional depression, out-of-group living, widowhood, illiteracy, low language level, lack of physical strength and mental exercise can also accelerate the process of brain aging and induce brain atrophy and dementia.

Brain atrophy prevention

First, senior women. Cerebral atrophy is more common in older groups over 70 years of age, which may be related to decreased estrogen levels in postmenopausal women or longer in women than in men. But in short, women, especially older women, should pay more attention to prevent brain atrophy.

Second, the diet is not scientific. The high-risk group of brain atrophy is in the middle-aged and old age. The physical condition of these people is declining, so the diet is an urgent need to pay attention to. A healthy diet should be maintained, and poor eating habits have an evoked effect on brain atrophy.

Cerebral atrophy complications Complications

Let the patient lose his or her own instinct in life and work, and develop into the ability to live and the overall control of the body to decline until bedridden. According to statistics, the mortality rate of various types of brain atrophy diseases is getting higher and higher. About 15 million people worldwide die from various brain atrophy diseases each year, accounting for more than 50% of the total mortality.

Symptoms of brain atrophy Common symptoms Thinking disorder Spatial perception disorder Cognitive dysfunction behavior and emotional abnormalities Mental disorders Partial loss of memory impairment

The clinical manifestations of brain atrophy are divided into three stages: early, middle and late stages. The most common early symptoms in the early stage are memory loss, decreased thinking ability, mainly near memory impairment. It is manifested as: I dont know where to put things, I dont know where to put them, I cant remember the food I just ate, I cant call my friends. name.

1. The ability to manage finances has declined, and it is not possible to shop independently. Although it can do familiar work, it is incompetent for any new requirements.

2. Behaving strangely, such as love picking up useless things.

3. Apathy, selfishness, suspiciousness, lack of interest in the surrounding things, loss of initiative, and no love for people.

4. Get lost in a familiar environment.

5. Language barriers, pronunciation has certain obstacles, speech is not very neat, writing is difficult.

Examination of brain atrophy

Imaging studies such as CT and MR (nuclear magnetic resonance) can be found that brain tissue volume is reduced and ventricles are enlarged.

The atrophy of the brain showed an increase in the gap between the cerebral cortex and the skull plate. The cerebral sulcus widened and deepened, the cerebral palsy flattened, the lateral ventricle and the third ventricle expanded, and the density around the anterior and posterior horn of the lateral ventricle decreased.

When the cerebellum is atrophic, the cerebellar texture is coarse and heavy, and the reduced size image shows branches and leaves. The low density of the cerebellar space has increased, and the fourth ventricle is enlarged. If there is atrophy of the cerebral ectosome, the brain stem becomes thin and narrow on the image, the surrounding cavity is slightly widened, and the olive body becomes flat or narrow.

In addition, the cerebral arteries can be seen to have a thinning of the cerebral artery. The cerebral blood flow surface can also be found to slow down blood flow and increase vascular resistance.

Diagnosis and differentiation of brain atrophy

Clinical diagnosis: In addition to asking about medical history and observing symptoms, patients with brain atrophy can find various degrees of neurogenesis reflexes that are slow or reduced. Shallow reflexes such as chest and abdomen wall reflexes, cremaster reflexes, anal reflexes, and deep reflexes such as biceps reflexes, ulnar periosteal reflexes, knee reflexes, and Achilles tendon reflexes may also be reduced, and pathological reflexes may occur. Cerebellar atrophy patients, through clinical examination, can be found that can not stand with feet, slow movement, lower limbs tremble, can not walk in a straight line, walking in a drunk state, gait squat, wide stride, pathological reflex with Burst sign (+), finger nose test (+), knee test (+), circle test (+).

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.