TY - JOUR
T1 - Microembolism, silent brain infarcts and dementia
AU - Goldberg, I.
AU - Auriel, E.
AU - Russell, D.
AU - Korczyn, A. D.
PY - 2012/11/15
Y1 - 2012/11/15
N2 - Cognitive decline becomes more prevalent than ever in parallel with the increasing life expectancy of the population. Alzheimer' disease (AD) and cerebral vascular lesions are common in the elderly and represent, with increased age, the most frequent contributors to cognitive decline. It is now believed that these pathologies frequently coexist in the same brain. The border discriminating vascular dementia from AD is blurred and challenges our understanding of these clinical entities. Further research, at both basic and clinical levels, is mandatory in order to better understand the interactions of vascular ischemic injury and primary degenerative physiopathologies of the brain, in order to prevent and better manage patients with cognitive decline. We review recent published clinical evidence of silent brain ischemia as a contributor to cognitive decline and dementia. Microemboli, from both cardiac and vascular origins, have been shown to be associated with structural changes in the brain. The role of transcranial Doppler as an objective tool for detecting and quantifying microemboli is discussed in light of recent clinical evidence.
AB - Cognitive decline becomes more prevalent than ever in parallel with the increasing life expectancy of the population. Alzheimer' disease (AD) and cerebral vascular lesions are common in the elderly and represent, with increased age, the most frequent contributors to cognitive decline. It is now believed that these pathologies frequently coexist in the same brain. The border discriminating vascular dementia from AD is blurred and challenges our understanding of these clinical entities. Further research, at both basic and clinical levels, is mandatory in order to better understand the interactions of vascular ischemic injury and primary degenerative physiopathologies of the brain, in order to prevent and better manage patients with cognitive decline. We review recent published clinical evidence of silent brain ischemia as a contributor to cognitive decline and dementia. Microemboli, from both cardiac and vascular origins, have been shown to be associated with structural changes in the brain. The role of transcranial Doppler as an objective tool for detecting and quantifying microemboli is discussed in light of recent clinical evidence.
KW - Atrial fibrillation
KW - Cardiovascular risk factors
KW - Cerebral microemboli
KW - Dementia
KW - Doppler ultrasound
KW - Leukoaraiosis
KW - Silent cerebral infarction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84867580014&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jns.2012.02.021
DO - 10.1016/j.jns.2012.02.021
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AN - SCOPUS:84867580014
SN - 0022-510X
VL - 322
SP - 250
EP - 253
JO - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
JF - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
IS - 1-2
ER -