Read more about this disease, some with Classification – Types – Signs and symptoms – Genetics – Pathophysiology – Diagnosis – Screening – Prevention – Treatment and management – Cures and much more, some including pictures and video when available.
Binswanger’s disease or Subcortical Leukoencephalopathy is a rare form of multi-infarct dementia caused by damage to white brain matter.[1] It is characterized by loss of memory and intellectual function and by changes in mood.
It was described by Otto Binswanger in 1894.[2] Alois Alzheimer first used the phrase “Binswanger’s disease” in 1902.[3]
It was more formally described by Olszewski in 1962.[4][5]
The term is sometimes considered too imprecise for formal nosology.[6]
Binswanger’s disease is one of the neurological syndromes associated with hypertension. It is uncommon, but obviously devastating. The histologic findings are diffuse, irregular loss of axons and myelin accompanied by widespread gliosis. Small infarcts may be seen in the frontal lobes. The pathologic mechanism may be damage caused by severe atherosclerosis.
A patient with long term severe hypertension develops progressive dementia. CT scans of the head demonstrate a diffuse loss of deep hemispheric white matter.
Binswanger’s disease has no known treatment, let alone cure, although drugs used to treat high blood pressure, depression, arrhythmia and low blood pressure are used to treat the condition’s symptoms.[7]
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