What are the dangers of mini-strokes?
BY JOHN BENTZ, PhD, ABN
“Stroke Wise”
Lancaster General Health
Most people know that a major stroke can significantly impair thinking and language skills. You may not be as aware that other types of cerebrovascular disease can go unrecognized for years and also cause substantial mental impairment.
This more gradual, less severe decline in thinking skills, referred to as Vascular Cognitive Impairment, No Dementia (VaCIND), can result from blockages or narrowing of smaller blood vessels feeding the brain. More severe blockage (atherosclerosis) of narrower blood vessels feeding the brain may result in small strokes, known as lacunar infarcts.
Cerebrovascular disease of this type may go unrecognized for many years. Over time, however, with an accumulation of multiple small strokes or decreased blood flow to the brain, substantial impairment can emerge because the brain is deprived of oxygen and nutrition, the fuel it requires for optimal functioning.
We frequently observe patients who are slower at mental operations, interpreting visual information, retrieving information from memory, solving problems, and reasoning. Although the changes in their thinking may be subtle and mild, they can progress to a point where they compromise daily functioning.
Bottom line—cerebrovascular disease in the absence of a full-blown stroke can have negative consequences on your cognitive and neurological status and needs to be taken seriously, monitored, and managed appropriately. Furthermore, cerebrovascular disease elevates the risk of developing a dementia in later years.
It's important to note that damage to our vascular system and the risk of developing cerebrovascular does not start during our senior years. Throughout our lives, our lifestyle can impact our risk of cerebrovascular disease and stroke as we age.
Individuals who fail to exercise regularly, smokers, those who are alcohol-dependent, or individuals with high or excessively low blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, obesity, blockage of the major heart arteries, or prior heart attacks all carry a greater risk of developing cerebrovascular disease.
So again, monitor your blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol throughout your life span. Avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol intake, getting adequate exercise, and treating underlying diseases also could play a major role in preventing cerebrovascular disease and cognitive decline in many individuals.
Jon Bentz, PhD, ABN, is the manager of Lancaster General Neuropsychology Specialists. A clinical neuropsychologist, he has worked in the rehabilitation field for more than 30 years, providing assessment and treatment of cognitive and behavioral disorders resulting from stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other dementias and neurological disorders. He obtained his doctorate from Virginia Tech and is a clinical associate professor at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
