Warning: Elderly with Alzheimer’s Disease have more “Tiny Strokes”

There is increasing evidence that elderly who have Alzheimer’s disease also suffer from other conditions that harm their brain.

A new study reveals that when you compare brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease with those of control subjects, Alzheimer’s patients have more “micro-infarcts.” These brain-damaging micro-infarcts are tiny strokes that are too small to be seen by naked eye on MRI. They can be seen only when you look at the brain under a microscope. Other studies have clearly shown a relationship with higher number of micro-infarcts, which happen when patients have vascular risk factors and poor circulation to their brain, and worse cognition. Some patients may get over-diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, as their brain has been ravaged in part by too many micro-infarcts (and not just the foot prints of Alzheimer’s disease). The best diagnosis for elderly patients with dementia is “mixed dementia” which accurately accounts for multiple etiologies being responsible for their brain atrophy and dementia.