Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Brain atrophy, or cerebral atrophy, is a condition in which the brain or regions of the brain decrease or shrink in size. It ranges in severity, and the extent of change determines its impact.
A mild degree of brain atrophy is not always a concern. Substantial brain atrophy can be associated with major neurological diseases, such as alarge strokeorprogressive dementia. In some instances, it isn’t clear whether cerebral atrophy caused the medical condition or vice versa.
Based on what experts know about brain atrophy, there may be some ways of preventing it or slowing it down. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with brain atrophy, it helps to understand the implications and to learn if there is anything you can do about the condition.
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There are a variety of reasons for cerebral atrophy. It can occur due to progressive neurological disease, brain damage, or it can be present at birth.
Progressive Diseases
Parkinson’s diseaseandAlzheimer’s diseaseare the most recognized neurodegenerative conditions that affect the brain. Others include:
It is not clear why these conditions develop. Experts suggest a mix of genetic and environmental factors may be involved.
Sometimes, an acquired condition, such as AIDS, can be associated with cerebral atrophy and degenerative dementia.Wernicke-Korsakoff syndromecan cause progressive brain atrophy and behavioral changes in association with alcohol abuse.
Some experts suggest that aging is associated with slowly progressive atrophy. Researchers aren’t sure whether this has any effect on a person’s abilities or not.
Brain Damage
In some instances, cerebral atrophy occurs due to sudden brain damage, such as a:
These causes differ from degenerative neurological disease because they involve an episode rather than a progression of damage.
Recurrent head trauma can cause multiple episodes of brain damage, resulting in severe cerebral atrophy and a condition described aschronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Recurrent strokes can cause multiple areas of atrophy, typically causing behavioral changes andvascular dementia. Sometimes multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause areas of brain atrophy as well.
After a region of the brain becomes damaged, the area may be exposed to inflammation and swelling. Eventually, this can cause necrosis (death) of the affected brain cells.
Cerebral palsy (CP), a congenital condition, may also be associated with cerebral atrophy, but brain atrophy is not always present in CP.
Congenital
It is also possible for cerebral atrophy to be present at birth. This can occur as part of a neurological syndrome, or due to insufficientbrain development.
Brain atrophy essentially means that neurons and their connections to each other have undergone necrosis. The affected areas cannot function as they should.Wherethis occurs determines what symptoms you experience.
Atrophy in the brain can be focal or generalized:
Usually, with cerebral atrophy, there are still some functioning neurons among those that have undergone necrosis, so the symptoms may be partial rather than complete.
Progressive atrophytypically occurs during adulthood, manifesting with alossof skills. It tends to be generalized, although there may be areas of the brain that are more affected than others. The symptoms tend to slowly worsen over the course of months or even years.
Symptoms of progressive brain atrophyinclude:
Acute focal brain atrophy, that which occurs weeks after the sudden symptoms of a stroke, head trauma, or infection, can produce:
Congenital brain atrophytends to affect certain areas of the brain, rather than the whole brain equally. Symptoms may be noticeable during infancy or early childhood and can include:
Typically, cerebral atrophy is identified with brain imaging tests. These tests can include:
Your medical team might request that you have a brain CT or MRI if you develop symptoms such as weakness, numbness, vision, loss, or personality changes.
These tests may identify generalized cerebral atrophy or areas of focal cerebral atrophy.
Sometimes when regions of atrophy are noted on a brain imaging examination, it can help in diagnosing the medical condition. For example:
Some types of atrophy—such as vascular dementia, CTE, MS, and atrophy due to encephalitis or AIDS—may result in cerebral atrophy in different regions of the brain.
Some researchers suggest that healthy lifestyle strategies could minimize the atrophy that’s normally associated with aging.
Medications
Prescription medications used for the prevention of strokes may help prevent atrophy, such as:
These medications are not for everyone, but they can be beneficial if you have certain risk factors.
Lifestyle Strategies
Certain fats, specifically trans fats, have a harmful effect on the body and can increase the risk of strokes. Therefore, avoiding trans fats can help prevent strokes and, consequently, cerebral atrophy.
Stress management may reduce brain atrophy because emotional stress is associated with conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, and stroke—all of which lead to vascular dementia. Furthermore, researchers are starting to see evidence that stress may contribute to dementia as well.
Reduce the Effects of Stress on Your Life
A Word From Verywell
The thought of your brain shrinking is something that certainly would stop anyone in their tracks. However, it’s important to know that a very slow and steady rate of brain atrophy may not cause any effects at all.
If you’ve been diagnosed and your case is more substantial and producing symptoms, be sure to follow-up with your healthcare provider and to use medications and/or lifestyle strategies to reduce the impact and progression of your condition.
Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Chabran E, Noblet V, de Sousa PL, et al.Changes in gray matter volume and functional connectivity in dementia with Lewy bodies compared to Alzheimer’s disease and normal aging: implications for fluctuations.Alzheimers Res Ther. 2020;12(1):9. doi.10.1186/s13195-019-0575-z
Fjell AM, Sørensen Ø, Amlien IK, et al.Self-reported sleep relates to hippocampal atrophy across the adult lifespan: results from the Lifebrain consortium.Sleep. 2019;43(5):zsz280. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsz280
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Cerebral atrophy information page. Updated March 27, 2019.
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