Scientists at the University of Toronto have suggested that cerebrospinal fluid leak may be one of the mechanisms linking traumatic brain injury (TBI) to dementia. The study was published on: magazine Alzheimer and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions (TRCI).
Previous studies have shown that traumatic brain injury increases the risk of dementia, but the mechanism behind the link was unclear. This lack of knowledge makes it difficult to improve dementia prevention in patients after TBI.
Recent studies have shown that cerebrospinal fluid leaks can be accompanied by severe “prolapse” of the brain into the spinal canal. This can cause symptoms of dementia, which can be significantly alleviated by surgically correcting the leak.
In a new study, scientists suggest that traumatic brain injuries may also lead to cerebrospinal fluid leak. The latter is detected in approximately 1-3% of adults with traumatic brain injury. Symptoms of severe cerebrospinal fluid leak include headache, poor balance, and increased sleepiness. While most leaks can go away on their own, larger leaks often require minimally invasive surgery.
“This hypothesis is of course highly speculative, and we need much more research to determine whether it holds any promise,” said Esmée Fuller-Thomson, director of the Institute on Life Course and Aging at the University of Toronto.
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