Cerebral small vessel disease and Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a group of pathological processes with multifarious etiology and pathogenesis that are involved into the small arteries, arterioles, venules, and capillaries of the brain. CSVD mainly contains lacunar infarct or lacunar stroke, leukoaraiosis, Binswanger's disease, and cerebral microbleeds. CSVD is an important cerebral microvascular pathogenesis as it is the cause of 20% of strokes worldwide and the most common cause of cognitive impairment and dementia, including vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been well identified that CSVD contributes to the occurrence of AD. It seems that the treatment and prevention for cerebrovascular diseases with statins have such a role in the same function for AD. So far, there is no strong evidence-based medicine to support the idea, although increasing basic studies supported the fact that the treatment and prevention for cerebrovascular diseases will benefit AD. Furthermore, there is still lack of evidence in clinical application involved in specific drugs to benefit both AD and CSVD.

Keywords: cerebral microbleeds; cerebrovascular diseases; dementia; lacunar infarct; leukoaraiosis.

Figure 1

CSVD and Alzheimer’s disease. Notes: Both CSVD and aging contribute to the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease. On the basis of aging, CSVD can accelerate the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Abbreviation: CSVD, cerebral small vessel disease.