Cerebral amyloid angiopathy
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy Causes
The cause for cerebral amyloid angiopathy may be genetic, but it can also occur sporadically. The condition is hereditary, and chromosome 21 is responsible for the amyloid accumulation that results in the disease. Sporadic cerebral amyloid angiopathy, however, is the more common cause, and it is associated with the aging process. Genetic factors related to acquiring cerebral amyloid angiopathy are: Dutch genes with amyloidosis, Flemish hereditary cerebral hemorrhage, familial Alzheimer's disease, and Down syndrome.
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy Definition
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy is a condition that affects the small blood vessels of the brain, wherein the amyloid protein associated with the Alzheimer's disease is deposited in the vessel walls. This may result in brain diseases such as dementia, brain hemorrhage, and stroke. Patients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy are usually older than 65 years old, although it may also occur in those who are around 45 years of age. The disease prevalence increases with age, and equally affects both men and women. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy is responsible for 5-20% of brain hemorrhage occurrences, and 30% of lobar hemorrhage.