14 DAY TRIAL // A condition called small vessel ischemia, or leukoaraiosis, is a natural part of the aging process. Until now, scientists believed that it was as harmless to the human body as gray hair. However, a new study indicates that it may in fact be contributing to altering brain function in the elderly.
Experts at the Rochester, Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic explain that the condition leads to the production of small lesions in white matter. The purpose of white matter in the brain is to ensure the fast and accurate transmission of information between various regions.
“In the past, leukoaraiosis has been considered a benign part of the aging process, like gray hair and wrinkles. We know that aging is a risk factor for leukoaraiosis, and we suspect that high blood pressure may also play a role,” Mayo Clinic expert Kirk M. Welker, MD, says, quoted by PsychCentral.
The condition mostly affects areas of the brain responsible for language processing and visual perception, the team explains.