In This Episode:
Dr. K explains what to know about cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), a very common brain condition linked to cognitive decline, balance and walking problems, dementia, and other significant health issues. She covers:
- Common terms used by radiologists to describe this condition, such as “white matter disease,””small vessel ischemia,” and others
- What is cerebral SVD
- What are the symptoms that can be caused by this condition
- Risk factors and other potential causes for cerebral SVD
- How to treat and prevent cerebral SVD
- Why it’s not usually a good idea to request an MRI to check for this condition
- What to do if you’re concerned about cerebral SVD for yourself or an older loved one

Related episode:
002 – What to Do If You’re Worried About Someone’s Memory
004 – What to Do If You’re Worried About Falls
018 – High Blood Pressure Treatment in Older Adults: Research Findings & Practical Tips
Related Resources:
- Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: What to Know and What to Do
- How to Diagnose & Treat Mild Cognitive Impairment
- How We Diagnose Dementia: The Practical Basics to Know
- Why Older People Fall & How to Reduce Fall Risk
- New Blood Pressure Study: What to Know About SPRINT-Senior & Other Research
Dear Dr,
What is the literature reference to your article on the subject of this podcast (How Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Affects Most Aging Brains), which you allude to at the beginning? The impression I get is that I should be able to locate it easily, but I think I am being a bit obtuse.
Kind regards,
Tarvinder Juss
The literature references are embedded as hyperlinks in this related article: Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: What to Know & What to Do. I also list a few specific scholarly references at the end. Hope this helps.