1. Early cerebral atherosclerosis

Early due to the function of the brain is reduced, can produce clinical manifestations similar to neurasthenia, the appearance of high-level nerve activity disorder, brain dysfunction and a series of symptoms. Often complain of headache (60% to 90%), headache, dizziness (55% to 70%), tinnitus, blurred vision, limb numbness, tremor, insomnia, forgetfulness, and slow thinking, comprehension, judgment, analysis, computational ability are reduced, poor concentration, poor work efficiency, emotional instability, depression and irritability, easy to be anxious and easy to be angry, crying and laughing. A few of them are accompanied by autonomic dysfunction, such as palpitations, cold hands and feet, sebum secretion, memory loss, insomnia and so on. Some early cerebral atherosclerosis can be asymptomatic, but when stress occurs, cerebral oxygen consumption increases or blood pressure changes lead to insufficient cerebral blood supply, and clinical symptoms appear.

2. Cerebral arteriosclerotic dementia (vascular dementia)

With the progression of the disease, brain organic mental symptoms and dementia, usually diagnosed as cerebral arteriosclerotic dementia, which is the result of multiple small foci of infarction caused by the hardening of small arteries in the brain. This type of dementia accounts for 15% to 20% of dementia in the elderly. Pathological examination shows a cavernous state of mild cerebral atrophy, clinical manifestations of behavioral or personality changes: indifference, diffidence, childishness, lack of hygiene, talkative, repetitive language, verbosity or reduced speech, jealousy, and so on. May also appear hallucinations, delusions, terror, mania, depression, illusions and other psychiatric symptoms.

3. Pseudobulbar palsy syndrome

Ischemic lesions caused by cerebral atherosclerosis involve the cortical medullary tracts in the internal capsule area and the corticospinal tracts bilaterally, causing bilateral central medullary paralysis, pseudobulbar palsy. Dull expression, dysarthria, choking on drinking water, hoarseness or inability to extend the tongue may be present, and there may be signs such as a strong positive palm-chin reflex and sucking reflex.

4. Tremor paralysis syndrome

It is due to cerebral atherosclerosis involving the basal ganglia, the nigrostriatum, striatum and its pathway blood supply changes, causing degeneration of basal ganglia cells, the striatum of the dopamine content is reduced. It manifests as tremor paralysis symptoms, such as the triad of increased muscle tone, decreased movement, and involuntary tremor. The increased muscle tone is lead pipe-like tonus, resting tremor of the limbs, and mask face.

5. Subcortical atherosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger's disease)

Principally involves the white matter, and the gray matter is usually not involved. Its main pathology is the result of multiple focal sclerosis caused by ischemia of small arteries. Clinical manifestations include slowly progressive intellectual decline, cortical blindness, convulsive seizures, speech disorders, apathy, unsteady gait, and involuntary movements.

6. Cavernous infarction

Also known as microinfarction. It is a kind of multiple, tiny ischemic necrosis, which is the most common pathological changes in cerebrovascular lesions caused by hypertensive cerebral atherosclerosis. The lacunar state generally does not cause clinical symptoms, and if the lesion involves the vital parts, it can produce pseudo-paralysis with increased muscle strength, cone-bundle sign with ipsilateral cerebellar ****** dysarthria, simple hemiparesis and other symptoms.