| What
is Binswanger's Disease?
Binswanger's disease, sometimes referred to as subcortical dementia, is a rare form of
dementia characterized by cerebrovascular lesions in the deep white-matter of the brain,
loss of memory and cognition, and mood changes. Patients usually show signs of abnormal
blood pressure, stroke, blood abnormalities, disease of the large blood vessels in the
neck, and disease of the heart valves. Other prominent features of the disease include
urinary incontinence, difficulty walking, clumsiness, slowness of conduct, lack of facial
expression, and speech difficulty. These symptoms, which tend to begin after the age of
60, are not always present in all patients and may sometimes appear only as a passing
phase.
Is there any treatment?
There is no specific course of treatment for Binswanger's disease. Treatment is
symptomatic, often involving the use of medications to control high blood pressure,
depression, heart arrhythmias and low blood pressure.
What is the prognosis?
Binswanger's disease is a slowly progressive condition for which there is no cure. The
disorder is often marked by strokes and partial recovery.
What research is being
done?
The NINDS conducts and supports a wide range of research on dementing disorders, and
scientists are currently re-evaluating the definitions for certain dementias, including
Binswanger's disease/subcortical dementia. The goals of research are to improve the
diagnosis of dementias and to find ways to treat and prevent them. The National Institute
on Aging and the National Institute of Mental Health also support research related to the
dementias. |
