View source for Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

== Introduction ==
Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a global [[Brain Anatomy|brain]] disease affecting multiple clinical areas by interferring with normal function of the perforating cerebral arterioles, [[capillaries]], venules, and brain parenchyma, detected on magnetic resonance imaging ([[MRI Scans|MRI]]) as [[Grey and White Matter|white matter]] hyperintensities (WMH), small subcortical infarcts, microinfarcts, lacunes, enlarged perivascular spaces (PVS), microbleeds, superficial siderosis, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and [[Cerebral Atrophy|atrophy]]. The main clinical manifestations include [[Lacuna Infarcts ( Small Vessel Disease)|lacunar ischemic stroke]], intracerebral hemorrhage and cognitive decline, including vascular cognitive impairment.<ref name=":3">Clancy U, Appleton JP, Arteaga C, Doubal FN, Bath PM, Wardlaw JM. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7817338/ Clinical management of cerebral small vessel disease: a call for a holistic approach.] Chinese medical journal. 2021 Jan 20;134(02):127-42.Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7817338/ (accessed 9.3.2024)</ref>

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is an umbrella term that refers to intracranial vascular disease based on various pathological and neurological processes, which lead to manifestations and neuroimaging findings as a result of the structural changes of vascular and brain parenchyma.<ref name=":2">Singh A, Bonnell G, De Prey J, Buchwald N, Eskander K, Kincaid KJ, Wilson CA. [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666602223000290 Small-vessel disease in the brain]. American Heart Journal Plus: Cardiology Research and Practice. 2023 Mar 1;27:100277.

</ref>

SVD usually happens during mid to late life and although the disease, its associated risk factors, and changes (eg gait dysfunction and cognitive decline) these are not just inevitable consequences of ageing.C SVD often arises on a background of other comorbidities, and unravelling SVD symptoms from those attributable to other conditions requires keen clinical judgment including neuroimaging review.<ref name=":3" />