what is white matter disease and abnormal signals mean

[11yearspld]

what does white matter diease mean and abnormal signal  and vascular

[Hazel45]

I have a cousin that contacted me about a health issue. In 1999, she was diagnosed with White Matter Disease. I have been an ICU nurse for almost 25 years, but never heard of this. In researching this for her, I find that she is exhibiting many of the symptoms of progression described in the literature. She states that about 2 months ago, the episodes of what she describes as "floating" became more frequent and severe. She has frequent falls, described as her leg "going out" on her. She has had chronic leg pain related to a surgical issue decades ago, and has been on Neurontin for this, up to 900 mg per day, but she has cut herself back to 600 mg/day unless her leg pain is very severe. She always feels as if floating, even if she is lying in bed. She has to ask someone in her presence if she is moving her head because she can't tell herself if she is. She lists to the right, and now she has episodes of speech impairment, almost an expressive aphasia. All made worse by frustration. Help.

Her neurologist did an MRI in early April. The office nurse called to tell her that the MRI and blood work ruled out MS. MD offered her no other possibilities of diagnosis or treatment except to stop taking her neurontin (again, has been on this for at least 15 years according to her history that she recited to me).

[Dr. A. Srivastava]

In White matter disease, pathology involves the brain white matter, either exclusively or in combination with grey matter changes. These include metabolism errors, exogenous toxins released by virus, autoimmune disease, leukodystrophy, demyelination, and radiation effects. Spasticity, muscle weakness, paralysis, hyper-reflexia and movement disorder may be the clinical features associated with white matter disease that need to be evaluated thoroughly. However, it is sad to say that there is no permanent cure but conservative treatment & physiotherapy exercises that would help you to regain your normal function and stopping the further progression of the disease. Please consult a neurologist in this regards. Hope this helps.