Background
Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are small cerebrovascular lesions. More and more CMBs
have been found in patients with ischemic stroke, dementia, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy,
as well as some normal elderly populations. The objective of this study is to summarize
the main risk factor, impairment, and therapy of CMBs.
Methods
We searched and scanned all the literature with the keyword “cerebral microbleeds”
or “CMBs” in the database of PubMed and Elsevier.
Results
The risks factors for CMBs are complicated, including those that cause large-vessel
disease, such as hypertension and old age, and those that cause small-vessel disease,
such as amyloid deposits, endothelial lesions, and atrial fibrillation. Moreover,
drugs and therapies used to treat cerebrovascular diseases such as statin, intravenous
thrombolysis, and coumarin may also increase risk of CMBs. The relationship between
antiplatelet treatment and CMBs is now unclear. Gene polymorphisms have been considered
to be associated with CMBs. Gene mutations involving collagen type IV alpha 1 and
collagen type IV alpha 2, sortilin-related receptor gene, forkhead box C1, and paired-like
homeodomain 2 were reported to affect CMBs with the modification of corresponding
proteins and functions. The cognition impairment caused by CMBs draws great attention.
White matter deterioration is the possible answer. However, different studies could
not reach the same conclusion on the damage of cognition of CMBs.
Conclusions
Further research is needed to provide effectual therapeutic proposals for CMBs, which
differ from the treatment for large-artery disease and dementia.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 13, 2016
Accepted:
March 4,
2016
Received in revised form:
February 20,
2016
Received:
December 1,
2015
Footnotes
All authors agree with the publication of this study.
Identification
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2016.03.005
Copyright
© 2016 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of National Stroke Association.
