Researchers Discover Possible Causes of Common Dementia

According to research published in the journal Annals of Neurology, researchers from the Krembil Neuroscience Centre have potentially discovered one of the major causes of dementia. With this particular type of dementia, there is damage to the white matter (nerve fibers) of the brain, made apparent on CT and MRI scans of older individuals. Previous studies have established that the more white matter disease there is in the brain, the more likely patients are to have symptoms of dementia, such as cognitive impairment or changes in behavior. During this study, researchers hypothesized that the white matter disease (also called leukoaraiosis) may be the result of many small, unnoticed strokes accumulating over time. Weekly MRI scans over the course of 16 consecutive weeks revealed new spots arising in the brain’s white matter that were characteristics of small strokes, which came to resemble white matter disease. “We were surprised by the study findings,” said the lead investigator of the study. “The findings suggest that the tiny, silent strokes are likely much more common than physicians previously appreciated, and these strokes are likely a cause of the age-related white matter disease that can lead to dementia.” Unlike degenerative types of dementia where there are no treatments, this type, based on vascular disease, is more treatable as it is caused by tiny episodes affecting the blood vessels in the brain over time. To read more about this study, click here.