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Cerebral amyloid angiopathy: an underdiagnosed cause of recurrent neurological symptoms
  1. Fakharunisa Shah1,
  2. Shayda Yazdani2,
  3. Mark I'anson2 and
  4. Tahir Nazir3
  1. 1General Practitioner, Holland House Surgery, Lytham St Annes, UK
  2. 2Department of Medicine, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Preston, Lancashire, UK
  3. 3Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Department of Biomolecular Science, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Tahir Nazir; tahir.nazir-2{at}postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

Abstract

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a common, yet frequently underdiagnosed pathology characterised by accumulation of amyloid β proteins in the small blood vessels of the brain. As a result, cerebrovascular dysregulation follows, leading to cerebral microbleeds, lobar intracerebral haematomas and sulcal subarachnoid haemorrhages. Gradual motor and cognitive decline due to these brain injuries leads to significant functional limitation in patients. We describe the case of a 69-year-old man requiring multiple hospital admissions with a variety of neurological symptoms. Following imaging of the brain, he was eventually diagnosed with CAA. We present a brief up-to-date literature review on epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment options for CAA.

  • stroke
  • memory disorders (psychiatry)

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Footnotes

  • Contributors FS and SY wrote the initial manuscript. MI and TN edited the final version.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.