Is it normal to have white matter lesions?

White matter lesions (WMLs), also called white matter hyperintensities, are a common finding on T2 and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

What diseases cause white matter lesions?

Some examples of conditions that affect white matter include:

• MS.
• Lyme disease.
• Balo concentric sclerosis.
• tumefactive demyelinating lesions.
• Marburg and Schilder variants.
• neuromyelitis optica, or Devic’s disease.
• acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.
• acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalopathy, or Hurst disease.

Are white matter changes serious?

Progressive means that it gets worse over time. The life expectancy after a diagnosis of white matter disease depends on the speed it progresses and the severity of any other conditions it may cause, like stroke and dementia. White matter disease is believed to be a factor in both strokes and dementia.

What are Juxtacortical lesions?

Juxtacortical small lesion (JCSL) is a special type of white matter lesion, defined as no greater than 5 mm in diameter and adjacent to the cerebral cortex in location. We notice lately that JCSLs alone may be associated to various neurological symptoms.

Is white matter disease the same as MS?

“In general, white matter disease causes acute MS symptoms, like numbness and weakness,” Stone says. “Gray matter disease causes progressive symptoms, like fatigue and memory loss. These higher brain functions are called cognitive functions. Most MS disability actually comes from cognitive dysfunction.”

What is the treatment for white matter disease?

White matter disease doesn’t have a cure, but there are treatments that can help manage your symptoms. The primary treatment is physical therapy. Physical therapy can help with any balance and walking difficulties you may develop.

What is periventricular subcortical white matter disease?

Periventricular White Matter Disease is not actually a disease. This misnomer comes from health practitioners referring to it as such, but periventricular white matter is commonly occurring on the brain, and changes in this matter are common as people age.

What causes white matter lesions?

Most often, white matter lesions are due to what is called “chronic small vessel disease”, literally meaning diseased small vessels that supply blood flow to the brain. This is not an uncommon process in the brain and increases with age.

What is bilateral white matter disease?

White matter disease is a disease that affects the nerves that link various parts of the brain to each other and to the spinal cord. These nerves are also called white matter. White matter disease causes these areas to decline in their functionality. This disease is also referred to as leukoaraiosis.