Cardasil disease is manifested by repeated strokes, which eventually cause lasting damage to the brain and reduce life expectancy. This is the disease from which Mathieu suffers in particular, candidate for the show “L’Amour est dans le Pré” and breeder of bulls in the Camargue.
- Cadasil disease is genetic, rare and hereditary.
- It affects both women and men, and is triggered in adulthood.
- It triggers repeated strokes, which permanently damage the brain while reducing life expectancy.
“My life expectancy as a patient is 62, I’m 44, so you do the math quickly”. It is with these harsh words that Mathieu, a bull breeder in the Camargue and participant in the program “L’Amour est dans le pré”, announces what he is suffering from, Cadasil disease. This rare condition (Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy) is an inherited genetic disease that affects the brain.
A protein that causes disorders
Cadasil disease, discovered in 1976, is triggered when vessels supposed to irrigate the brain become clogged, causing significant damage. It took until 1996 for Inserm researchers to identify the NOTCH3 gene responsible for the disease. This protein responsible for the contraction and dilation of cerebral vessels would have mutated, no longer fulfilling its role, which would be the cause of repeated strokes.
It is characterized by strong migraines and successive strokes, which cause sequelae and can leave brain damage. Cadasil disease affects both men and women, and manifests in adulthood.
In people with Cadasil disease, memory is particularly affected, which makes this pathology very disabling on a daily basis. Visual and cognitive disturbances, epileptic seizures and motor and intellectual slowing may also occur.
Shortened life expectancy
For people with Cadasil disease, life expectancy is reduced due to multiple strokes that cause lasting brain damage. Currently, although research to better understand it continues, there is no treatment that can cure or prevent the disease from getting worse.
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