PhD Conferral Mrs. Caroline M.J. Loos, MSc.

Keywords: cerebral small vessel disease, radiological evolution

"Evolution of MRI features of cerebral small vessel disease"

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a disease affecting the small blood vessels in the brain. It may cause ischemic strokes, dementia and gait problems. The majority of studies focus on MRI-detectable brain lesions, because it is difficult to visualise the small blood vessels in the brain. We studied the evolution of these MRI characteristics to gain more insight into the natural course of the disease. This dissertation shows that CSVD is a highly dynamic, accumulative and neurodegenerative disease based on the radiological findings. A better understanding of the natural course of CSVD may lead to the development of specific preventive and treatment methods.