Binswanger's disease

Binswanger’s disease is a rare form of multi-infarct dementia caused by damage to deep white brain matter. It is characterized by memory loss and intellectual function and by changes in mood. It is associated with longstanding hypertension.

The histologic findings are diffuse, irregular loss of axons and myelin accompanied by widespread gliosis. Small infarcts may be seen in the frontal lobes. The pathologic mechanism may be damage caused by severe atherosclerosis.

A patient with long term severe hypertension develops progressive dementia.

Hypertension

CT scans of the head demonstrates a diffuse loss of deep hemispheric white matter.

Binswanger’s disease has no known treatment, let alone cure, although drugs used to treat high blood pressure, depression, arrhythmia and low blood pressure are used to treat the condition’s symptoms.^[1]

de:Subkortikale arteriosklerotische Enzephalopathie no:Binswangers sykdom fi:Binswangerin tauti

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