Symptoms

Brain atrophy can affect one or multiple regions of the brain.

The symptoms will vary depending on the location of the atrophy and its severity.

Brain atrophy can cause the following symptoms and conditions:

*Seizures

A seizure is a sudden, abnormal spike of electrical activity in the brain. There are two main types of seizure. One is the partial seizure, which affects just one part of the brain. The other is the generalized seizure, which affects both sides of the brain.

The symptoms of a seizure depend on which part of the brain it affects. Some people may not experience any noticeable symptoms, whereas others may experience one or more of the following:

-behavioral changes
-jerking eye movements
-a bitter or metallic taste in the mouth
-drooling or frothing at the mouth
-teeth clenching
-grunting and snorting
-muscle spasms
-convulsions
-loss of consciousness

*Aphasia

The term aphasia refers to a group of symptoms that affect a person’s ability to communicate. Some types of aphasia can affect a person’s ability to produce or understand speech. Others can affect a person’s ability to read or write.

There are eight different types of aphasia. The type of aphasia a person experiences depends on the part or parts of the brain that sustain damage.

Some cases of aphasia are relatively mild, whereas others may severely impair a person’s ability to communicate.

*Dementia

Dementia is the term for a group of symptoms associated with a continuing decline in brain function. These symptoms may include:

-memory loss
-slowed thinking
-language problems
-problems with movement and coordination
-poor judgment
-mood disturbances
-loss of empathy
-hallucinations
-difficulty carrying out daily activities

There are several different types of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.

A person’s risk of dementia increases with age, with most cases affecting people aged 65 years and older. However, experts do not consider it to be a natural part of the aging process.