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Cerebral (Brain) Atrophy – Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

What May Cause Cerebral Atrophy?

Brain atrophy can be caused by several factors. It may be caused by a progressive neurological condition, brain damage or be present from birth.

Progressive Diseases

A variety of neurological syndromes are characterized by degradation of several cells in the brain. Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease are the most common neurodegenerative conditions that affect the brain. Others are Lewy body dementia, Huntington’s disease and Fronto-temporal dementia.

Scientists don’t know how these diseases develop. However, studies show that they can be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In some cases, an acquired disease, such as AIDS, can be linked with cerebral atrophy and degenerative dementia.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome can lead to progressive brain atrophy and behavioral changes that can be caused by alcohol misuse. Some experts say that aging is associated with slowly progressive atrophy. Researchers aren’t sure whether this has any effect on a person’s abilities or not.