Cerebral atrophy, the medical term for a loss of brain cells, can cause a multitude of symptoms. Many are treatable, or at least manageable. The underlying condition though is not curable.

What is Cerebral Atrophy?

Atrophy refers to the wasting away of a body part. Cerebral atrophy refers to the deterioration of the brain through the loss of brain cells and neurons, and the connections between them, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The breakdown affects the brain’s ability to communicate with the rest of the body.

Sometimes called brain atrophy, cerebral atrophy can affect the entire brain or just a part of it. Generalized cerebral atrophy involves the whole brain. Focal cerebral atrophy is limited to a certain part of the brain, and therefore only affects the functions controlled by that portion of the brain, Healthline says.

What is the Cause of Cerebral Atrophy?

The causes of cerebral atrophy fall into one of three categories: injury, disease, and infection. 

There are two basic types of injury that can cause cerebral atrophy, stroke and traumatic brain injury. A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is suddenly interrupted, usually because of a blockage or a clot in an artery or a burst vessel bleeding in the brain. Either way, a stroke causes the brain to be deprived of the oxygen-enriched blood it needs,  resulting in the death of brain cells.

Traumatic brain injury occurs when the brain is physically damaged – in an accident, fall, or other forceful trauma to the head. Such injuries cause direct damage to the brain, killing tissue and cells, and can cause bleeding in the brain, which interrupts the blood flow just like when a stroke occurs.

In the case of both stroke and a traumatic brain injury, the damage can cause focal cerebral atrophy. Often that leads to a loss of motor skills, movement, and speech.

Certain diseases and medical disorders can also cause cerebral atrophy, including:

• Alzheimer’s disease and dementia – both of which are progressive conditions that ravage brain cells. Patients suffering cerebral atrophy brought on by Alzheimer’s or dementia typically experience memory loss, impaired cognitive function, loss of motor skills, and communication ability over time.
• Cerebral palsy – a movement disorder caused by abnormal brain development in the womb. Cerebral atrophy brought on by cerebral palsy usually causes a lack of muscle coordination, making it difficult for patients to walk, among other challenges.
• Huntington’s disease — a condition that involves the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain. An inherited condition, Huntington’s can cause cerebral atrophy that affects a person’s physical abilities and cognitive function and can impact mental health as well.
• Multiple sclerosis – a progressive autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks nerve cells. Patients with MS can eventually experience dementia and cerebral atrophy.
• Leukodystrophies – a group of rare disorders that damage the outer layer of nerve cells. Less common than other disease-based causes of cerebral atrophy, leukodystrophies most often begin at an early age and cause memory, movement, vision, and hearing problems.
• Infections and viruses can also cause cerebral atrophy, according to Healthline. Among them are HIV, which damages the connections between neurons, herpes simplex, West Nile, and Zika viruses, which cause brain inflammation called encephalitis that damages brain cells, and neurosyphilis, which attacks the brain.

What is the Cerebral Atrophy Life Expectancy?

Cerebral atrophy and its underlying cause can affect a patient’s lifespan, however, it is difficult to predict by how much. Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer’s, for example, are very different diseases, but both are degenerative. How quickly they progress differs from patient to patient.

People with Alzheimer’s disease survive, on average, between three and 11 years after diagnosis, but some live for 20 or more years, the Mayo Clinic says. MS patients and those with mild to moderate cerebral palsy increasingly live a normal or nearly normal lifespan. Huntington’s sufferers can live an average of 10 to 30 years after the condition emerges.

Life expectancy for patients with cerebral atrophy caused by injury or infection varies significantly according to the severity of the injury or illness.

Is Cerebral Atrophy Curable?

There is no cure for cerebral atrophy and treatment depends on the specific symptoms caused by the loss of brain cells. More often than not, the treatment of cerebral atrophy is focused on the condition that caused or is causing it. General wellness measures, including a healthy diet and controlling blood pressure, are also recommended and some research has suggested physical exercise might slow the progression of cerebral atrophy, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

How are Symptoms Managed?

The symptoms of cerebral atrophy are managed based on each individual patient’s experience and depending on the underlying disease, injury, or infection causing it. Medications, diet and physical, occupational and speech therapies are all tools used to counter the effects of physical and cognitive damage from cerebral atrophy.

When Might You Need Legal Help?

Cerebellar atrophy is a type of focal cerebral atrophy that involves the degeneration of the cerebellum, the part of the brain located near the stem that regulates posture, balance, coordination, and speech. Research has shown a link between cerebellar atrophy and Dilantin, an anticonvulsant medication used for the treatment of seizures. The research indicates cerebellar atrophy occurs in some patients after long-term Dilantin use.

Pfizer, the manufacturer of Dilantin, has been the subject of multiple lawsuits over the connection between the drug and cerebellar atrophy. Among those was a 2018 suit claiming Pfizer had knowledge of Dilantin’s links to cerebral atrophy.

Patients who have been treated with Dilantin and developed cerebellar atrophy or cerebral atrophy might qualify to join a class action lawsuit to pursue compensation for their suffering and the medical expenses associated with treating the condition and managing its symptoms. A qualified, experienced attorney can answer questions and help determine the best course of action.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.