Focal changes in the brain substance of a dyscirculatory nature are dangerous diseases that worsen the health status and change the lifestyle of patients. Sometimes people have problems with their physiology due to dead neurons.
Features of the development of the disease
Before considering therapeutic techniques suitable for eliminating this disease, it is necessary to determine the causes of its occurrence. Otherwise, recovery will be difficult. Focal changes in the brain substance of a discirculatory nature are a disorder that causes damage to the brain in different places.
The disease can be classified as chronic because it develops slowly with complex consequences. The disease is considered chronic because it develops slowly with complex consequences.
Stages of development
In comparison with other types of pathologies, focal transformations of the discircular type spread in several stages. Each has its own distinctive features. Therefore, specialists must first understand at what stage this disorder is in order to determine the optimal therapeutic technique.
In the initial stages, it is difficult to determine the presence of the disease, since the process of circulatory disorders in the head is poorly developed. In such a situation, the specific signs of the disorder are still not expressed, so diagnosis will be difficult . Patients also do not describe specific complaints.
The second stage is characterized by deterioration of the tissue in the brain, which gradually dies. Such processes are caused by problems with cerebral circulation. At the last stage, half of the brain matter dies, the functioning of the organ is disrupted, and recovery cannot be expected. In each patient, symptoms manifest themselves depending on the individual characteristics of the body.
Classification of dyscirculatory encephalopathy
DEP is distinguished by etiology:
- Atherosclerotic;
- Hypertensive;
- Venous;
- Mixed.
According to the speed of development, it can be rapidly progressing or galloping and slowly developing, that is, the classic form.
The severity classification is as follows:
- The first stage is accompanied by subjective feelings of ill-being, mild cognitive impairment, and preservation of the neurological status;
- The second stage is characterized by obvious motor and cognitive disorders and increased emotional distress.
- The third stage is considered the most severe, at which mental disorders begin. It represents vascular dementia of varying severity.
Causes of the disease
There are many reasons why single focal changes in the brain substance of a dystrophic nature are observed. The disease develops due to impaired blood supply. Often such processes are observed because the cervical spine is injured, or the likelihood of developing osteochondrosis increases.
The disorder can manifest itself against the background of heart disease or after a head injury. Patients who are overweight or lead an unhealthy lifestyle are often susceptible to the disease. Periodically, the disorder occurs in diabetics, cancer patients, and in patients who are regularly in stressful situations.
Focal transformations often occur in old people, but in recent years young people have been visiting neurologists much more often.
Pseudoneurosthenic syndrome
Another characteristic sign of changes in blood circulation in the brain are mental disorders of vascular origin. Their symptoms coincide with the classical picture, but changes occur as a result of circulatory disorders.
Accordingly, treating only the mental component will not lead to the desired result: in this case, the disorder is a secondary disease.
- Very often, sleep disturbances occur against the background of a headache and a feeling of heaviness in the back of the head. As a rule, sleep is shallow, short - 3-4 hours, accompanied by natural weakness and a state of “being overwhelmed”. If the cause is poor venous blood flow, then physical activity brings your health back to normal much faster.
- Sensitivity to stimuli - sound, light, sometimes even dim light.
- Tearfulness, irritability, unstable attention. Moreover, the patient is clearly aware of the painfulness of the condition.
- It is difficult to remember new events and record them; chronological orientation is often disrupted: it is difficult to remember the date, day, or date the event.
- The search for small objects - glasses, keys, notepads - is associated with a refusal to perceive certain objects in the field of vision.
- With the further development of diseases of vascular origin, personality changes are possible - a kind of sharpening of the most striking character traits. At the same time, asthenic structures intensify – self-doubt, anxiety, suspiciousness. Gloomy dissatisfaction with others becomes almost constant. Personality changes are noticeably influenced by the nature of the vascular process: arterial hypertension, the location of focal lesions in the brain, and so on.
Unlike true mental disorders, treatment of vascular diseases is carried out mainly by medicinal methods and is quite successful.
Symptoms
Dyscirculatory changes can manifest themselves in the form of the following symptoms: high blood pressure, epileptic seizures, problems with mental activity, dizziness, stagnation of the vascular bed in the head, constant migraines, sudden contractions of muscle tissue, and possible paralysis.
Examination methods
The main method for diagnosing the disease is MRI of the head, which reveals hyperintense inflammation, small heart attacks, post-ischemic degeneration, and enlargement of the ventricular system. The number of heart attacks can range from one to many. Fine-focal transformations indicate serious brain damage, which can result in disability. Blood circulation suffers in problem areas.
Ultrasound or duplex scanning is used as diagnostic techniques, which can determine blood flow disturbances, such as asymmetric distribution of fluid throughout the vessels. CT makes it possible to recognize traces of heart attacks in the images in the form of lacunae filled with cerebrospinal fluid. Often the cerebral cortex atrophies, the ventricles increase in size, and dropsy appears .
MRI can detect the following disorders. Transformations of the cerebral hemispheres. Such lesions appear due to blockage or compression of an artery located in the spine. This is often due to congenital pathologies or atherosclerosis. In rare situations, a vertebral hernia appears.
Focal changes. Their presence often indicates a pre-stroke condition of the patient. Sometimes they are used to determine dementia, epilepsy, and other disorders caused by atrophy of arteries and veins. If such changes are detected, immediate treatment is required.
Microfocal transformations appear in all people after 50 years . It will be possible to examine them using contrast media only in a situation where they arise in the form of a disease. Fine-focal transformations are not clearly detected and eventually lead to a stroke.
Transformations of white matter in different areas of the brain are subcortical and periventricular in nature. This type of damage is provoked by continuously high blood pressure, especially with regard to hypertensive crisis. Often, single lesions are congenital in nature; the danger arises due to the proliferation of damage in the brain. In such a situation, symptoms develop regularly.
When there is a high probability of the disease in a patient, examinations should be carried out every year. For preventive purposes, CT or MRI is performed once every 2-3 years.
Diagnostics
An early stage of the pathology with the absence of characteristic symptoms is accidentally discovered during a diagnostic examination for another reason. To confirm the diagnosis, neuroimaging is performed, and the neurologist determines the degree of impairment of the conductive function of the brain. The main diagnostic method is magnetic resonance imaging. In the photographs you can clearly see areas of the affected tissue. If you do angiography, you can determine the extent of vascular damage.
Modern methods of therapy
Therapeutic measures are necessary to eliminate the main symptoms of the disease that provokes brain disorder. You will have to use medications that inhibit the development of pathology.
Vascular medications such as pentoxifylline, vinpocetine, cinnarizine, and dihydroergocriptine are required . They have a beneficial effect on the blood supply to brain tissue, stabilize the functioning of capillaries, increase the plasticity of red blood cells, and make the blood liquid. The drugs help eliminate vascular spasm and increase the resistance of arteries and veins to hypoxia.
Cytoflavin and piracetam are used as antioxidant and antihypoxic drugs. Treatment with vestibulotropic drugs stops dizziness, eliminates unsteadiness during movement, and improves the quality of life of patients. At high blood pressure levels, constant monitoring of pressure numbers and contraction frequency is required, stabilizing them according to indications.
Today, doctors pay a lot of attention to substances that block calcium channels, stabilize blood pressure, and act as neuroprotectors. Cerebrolysin helps restore cognitive functions.
Treatment of cognitive pathologies
Donepezil is used to improve memory, concentration, and performance. The medicine stimulates the production of neurotransmitters, improves the quality of the passage of impulses as intended. The activity of patients during the daytime improves, apathy disappears, hallucinations and meaningless mechanical repetitions of the same actions are eliminated.
Rivastigmine should not be used by people with ulcers, problems with the intestines, cardiovascular system, or respiratory disorders.
For typical emotional disorders, doctors advise using antidepressants. Selective inhibitors perform remarkably well during treatment. These products are available only with a doctor's prescription.
At-risk groups
If there are no signs of the disease, it is preferable to find out about risk groups. According to statistics, focal disease more often manifests itself in the following disorders: atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, VSD, diabetes, heart muscle disease, regular stressful situations, work without movement, abuse of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, obesity.
As a result of age-related changes, brain damage occurs. After reaching 60 years of age, minor lesions of the disorder appear.
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
People with immune deficiency may experience progressive multifocal multifocal leukoencephalopathy. This is an infectious disease caused by the penetration of the JC virus, which belongs to the Polyomavirus family, into the body. A feature of the pathology is that asymmetric and multifocal brain damage occurs. The virus affects the membranes of nerve endings, which are made of myelin. Therefore, this disease belongs to the group of demyelinating pathologies.
Almost 85% of patients with this diagnosis are AIDS or HIV infected. The risk group includes patients with malignant tumors.
Main symptoms of the disease:
- mood swings;
- visual disturbances;
- paresthesia and paralysis;
- memory impairment.
Dystrophic damage
In addition to damage caused by vascular origin, other types of the disease are distinguished. These are focal changes in the brain substance of a dystrophic nature. This type of disease occurs due to a lack of nutrients. Let's consider the main causes of the disease: too low blood pressure, osteochondrosis, oncology, skull injuries.
Dystrophic brain damage is detected due to the lack of useful substances. Patients exhibit the following symptoms: brain activity deteriorates, dementia, migraines appear, muscle tissue is weakened, some muscle groups are paralyzed, and dizziness.
Doctors' recommendations
Quit tobacco products or get rid of addiction. Do not drink alcohol or drugs. Move more, do exercises. The permissible intensity of physical activity is determined only by a doctor. Sleep 7-8 hours a day. Doctors advise increasing sleep duration when diagnosing such disorders.
You need to eat a balanced diet; it is preferable to develop a diet together with your doctor in order to take into account all the nutritional components that help with destructive processes in the brain. Neurons need to be nourished with useful substances.
Review other bad habits. It is better to get rid of regular stressful situations. It is better to change your job if it is a little stressful. Relax more often, choose the most suitable ways for this. Visit the doctor for examinations at the specified frequency in order to timely record changes in pathological processes and timely apply therapeutic techniques.
Nervous tissues are characterized by increased vulnerability. Neurons die when there is a lack of oxygen, so you need to treat your body with special attention.
Doctor's forecasts
With effective and timely therapy, the development of DEP at the first or second stage in most cases slows down. Occasionally, rapid development of the disease is observed, in which case each stage takes about two years. When dyscirculatory encephalopathy is combined with degenerative changes in the central nervous system, the prognosis is most often unfavorable. Hypertensive crises, ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes, TIA and other cerebrovascular accidents, and uncontrolled hypoglycemia that accompany the disease have a negative impact on the recovery process.
