Giving a non-invasive brain scan, called transcranial Doppler, to one-year-olds could help reduce the risk of stroke later in life, a new study suggests.
- The study looked at 260 years of data to systematically assess long-term trends in brain aneurysms, which can be a cause of stroke.
- Researchers have detected variations in blood vessels that can be spotted as early as childhood.
- They therefore recommend doing a transcranial Doppler on babies and children to look for these variations in cerebral vessels.
Every year, 150,000 people suffer a stroke in France. This disorder represents the leading national cause of acquired disability in adults. And with 30,000 annual deaths, it is the 3ᵉ cause of death in humans and 2ᵉ in women.
To reduce the burden of this neuronal pathology, it would be enough to have a brain examination non invasivecalled Doppler transcranial, to children during their first year of life, according to Australian researchers.
Aneurysm: variations in the vessels of the brain can be spotted from childhood
To understand the development of brain aneurysms, a cause of stroke, lead researcher and neuroanatomy expert Dr. Arjun Burlakoti examined 260 years of medical data. “A brain aneurysm is a bulge in the artery leading to the brain. This is caused by a weakness in the artery wall. And if a brain aneurysm bursts, it can cause a stroke.”explains Dr. Burlakoti in a communicated. If the latter is generally diagnosed between the ages of 31 and 60, the analysis of more than two centuries of neuronal data has made it possible to highlight a means of assessing the risks of aneurysm, and therefore of stroke, from childhood. .
“Our study shows not only that aneurysms arise and rupture depending on their internal circumstances, but also that any variation in cerebral vessels (identified as at risk of aneurysm, Editor’s note) is likely to be present from birth. This means that if we can identify variations in the brain’s arterial network during childhood, we can more actively monitor and control those at risk throughout their lives.”adds the scientist.
Risks of stroke: screen for risks with transcranial Doppler
Following his results published in the journal BMJ Open, the team recommends non-invasive transcranial Doppler testing in babies and children to examine cerebral blood flow. This painless test assesses the speed of blood flow in the brain using ultrasound and detects variations in the vessels. Scientists assure that this screening method could allow rapid intervention and potentially prevent aneurysms and complications linked to strokes.
“Screening for different arterial components in children, particularly those under two years of age, could be a practical tool for screening cerebral arteries with variations (identified in models of cerebral aneurysms, Editor’s note), explains Dr. Burlakoti. This is a safe, non-invasive screening test that allows families to follow up regularly if any variations are detected.”
