There is no cure for this rare genetic disease.
In Australia, a man in his late 60s suddenly felt dizzy while having a tooth pulled at the dentist. He was vomiting and had strange vision, as if all objects were tilted 90 degrees counterclockwise.
The doctor took the man to the emergency room. His eyes blinked to the left and moved to the right when he walked. A scan of the brain revealed bleeding in the lower left area. The man suffered from intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a type of hemorrhagic stroke in which a blood vessel ruptures in the brain.
The man underwent surgery to stop the bleeding, remove the blood clot and relieve pressure on his brain. After being discharged from the hospital, after three months of taking blood pressure medication, normal vision was restored and gait became stable. He is taking aspirin long-term to improve cerebral blood flow and prevent stroke.
According to popular science media ‘Live Science’, the patient’s symptoms appeared 30 minutes after two teeth were extracted at the dentist. There have been cases in the past where blood pressure soared due to pain or stress during dental procedures, resulting in cerebral hemorrhage.
Doctors thought it was a similar case, but it turned out that the man had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease six weeks before his visit to the dentist. Brain scans at the time revealed signs of low blood flow damaging the wiring between brain cells. This disease may be caused by genetic factors.
Doctors collected and analyzed samples of his DNA and discovered a mutation known to cause the walls of blood vessels to thicken, narrowing them and reducing blood reaching the brain. It was CADASIL, a rare disease that affects about 2 out of 100,000 people. Some studies have shown that ICH can sometimes be a complication of CADASIL.
CADASIL (Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy) is a type of cerebrovascular disease that affects small arteries that supply blood to the brain. It is mainly caused genetically, and there is a 50% chance of developing it if a genetic mutation is inherited from one parent. CADASIL can cause stroke, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric problems. Recurrent strokes (the first symptoms usually appear in the late 30s to 40s, and microstrokes can occur frequently), cognitive decline (deterioration in memory, concentration, and thinking ability), psychiatric symptoms (depression, personality changes, aggression) ), headaches, and movement disorders (muscle weakness and poor balance) may occur.
Currently, there is no way to completely cure CADASIL. Treatment is only to manage symptoms. For example, antithrombotic drugs or blood pressure control may be necessary to prevent stroke. Additionally, appropriate medication or rehabilitation treatment may be helpful for cognitive decline or psychiatric symptoms.
Source: kormedi.com
