Cerebrovascular Amyloidosis - Senile Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy

Senile cerebral amyloid angiopathy is a condition in which a protein is deposited into the walls of the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. The protein that gets deposited is called amyloid.

What is going on in the body?

It is not known why amyloid gets deposited into the brain's blood vessel walls in senile cerebral amyloid angiopathy. The protein deposits weaken the blood vessels. This results in a greatly increased risk for bleeding into the brain, known as intracerebral hemorrhage. The bleeding may cause permanent brain damage or death.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

The exact cause of senile cerebral amyloid angiopathy is not known. Most cases occur in people older than 60 years.