Senile cerebral amyloid angiopathy
Definition
Senile cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is neurological condition in which amyloid protein is deposited onto the walls of the arteries of the brain. CAA increases the risk of bleeding into the brain (hemorrhagic stroke).
Alternative Names
Amyloidosis - cerebral; CAACauses
Senile cerebral amyloid angiopathy is a cause of lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (bleeding in a localized area of the brain, a form of stroke) in the elderly. There may be multiple episodes of bleeding, which may occur over a period of many months. The symptoms occur because bleeding in the brain harms brain tissue.
The cause is unknown. Amyloid protein is deposited in the arterial walls of the brain, and there are often no deposits elsewhere in the body. The major risk factor is age. The incidence is much greater in people older than 60.
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