Join the Team Member Login
What is Cerebrovascular Disease? Understanding the Impact on Speech and Communication

What is Cerebrovascular Disease? Understanding the Impact on Speech and Communication

/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon • 4 min read

What is Cerebrovascular Disease?

Cerebrovascular disease refers to a group of disorders that interfere with the blood vessels and blood supply to the brain. Some of these conditions cause a reduction of blood flow to the brain due to a blockage, while others cause bleeding due to a rupture in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain. 

Cerebrovascular disease is a medical emergency. It is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, and immediate medical attention is necessary. 

Is Cerebrovascular Disease the Same as Stroke?

Stroke is the most common type of cerebrovascular disease. There are three main types of strokes: 

  • Hemorrhagic stroke: A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. This leads to bleeding in or around the brain. The increased pressure that this causes can damage brain tissue.
  • Ischemic strokes: There are two types of Ischemic Stroke: thrombotic and embolic. A thrombotic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery to the brain. An embolic stroke occurs when a blood clot forms elsewhere in the body (often the heart) and travels to the brain. In both scenarios, the blood clot blocks or narrows a blood vessel, preventing blood flow to part of the brain. This can lead to tissue death due to oxygen deprivation.
  • Transient ischemic attack (TIA): This type is often referred to as a “mini-stroke”. It occurs when there is a temporary blockage or reduced blood flow to the brain. The symptoms of a TIA are similar to those of a strok; howeverr, they resolve within minutes to hours and do not cause permanent damage.

Many other conditions also fall under the umbrella of cerebrovascular disease. Some of them are:

  • Arteriovenous malformation (AVM)
  • Brain aneurysm
  • Brain bleed, hemorrhage (intracranial hemorrhage)
  • Carotid artery disease (carotid artery stenosis)
  • Cervical artery dissection.
  • Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)
  • Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT)
  • Moyamoya disease

What Causes Cerebrovascular Disease?

Some of the various causes of cerebrovascular disease may include

  • Thrombosis: A blood clot that spontaneously forms in a blood vessel in the brain. This usually happens in areas where the blood vessel is narrow or irregular. 
  • Embolism: A blood clot that travels to the brain from elsewhere in the body. The most common type of embolism occurs when a clot travels from the heart to the brain. 
  • Hemorrhage: Ruptured blood vessel.
  • Atherosclerosis: Hardening of the arteries from plaque building up
  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A brain injury that is caused by an outside force.
  • Structural problems in the brain’s blood vessels. 

How Cerebrovascular Disease Affects Speech and Swallowing

Symptoms of cerebrovascular disease vary depending on what part of the brain is affected. Some of the most common symptoms include

  • Balance problems
  • Confusion
  • Fainting
  • Vision problems
  • Paralysis or weakness on one side of the body or face
  • Sudden, severe headache
  • Trouble speaking or understanding speech (aphasia)
  • Slurred Speech (dysarthria)
  • Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)

Aphasia

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate. An estimated 20 to 40 percent of people with cerebrovascular disease develop aphasia. 

The symptoms of aphasia vary from mild to severe and affect people in different ways. Someone with aphasia may:

  • Struggle to find the right words
  • Speak words and sentences that do not make sense
  • Have difficulties with reading and writing
  • Speak in short or incomplete sentences
  • Have problems following a conversation

Dysarthria

Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder that results in slurred and difficult-to-understand speech. It can be a common result of cerebrovascular disease and results from weakness or lack of control in the muscles required to produce speech. Dysarthria can range in severity. In some cases, the speech produced is unintelligible, while in others, the effects on speech are mild.

Dysphagia

Cerebrovascular events, such as a stroke, can cause dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) by damaging the brain regions that control swallowing. This can lead to problems with coordinating the muscles involved. Dysphagia increases the risk of choking, aspiration (food entering the lungs), malnutrition, and pneumonia. 

How Speech Therapy Can Help Rebuild Communication After Cerebrovascular Disease

Cerebrovascular events can cause permanent brain damage, and survivors may experience temporary or permanent disability following one. Because of this, they may require a variety of supportive and rehabilitative therapies, including speech therapy. 

Both aphasia and dysarthria are speech and communication-related disorders that can develop due to cerebrovascular disease. Studies show that these speech and communication difficulties have the potential to improve the most during the first few months after the cerebrovascular event. Therefore, early intervention with speech therapy is essential. 

The speech and language pathologists (SLPs) at Great Speech are experts in helping with communication difficulties for all ages. The first step to rebuilding communication is to schedule a free introductory call. We’ll match you with a specialized speech therapist who perfectly fits your needs. Your first virtual speech therapy session will include a thorough evaluation to determine the areas of struggle and develop a treatment plan. 

Speech therapy exercises vary depending on the individual’s needs; however, they may include:

  • Exercises to strengthen the muscles used in speech 
  • Working on speech sounds
  • Repeating words and rhymes
  • Working on forming sentences
  • Exercises to work on speed of speech
  • Breathing exercises 
  • Strengthening conversational skills

In some cases, the goal of speech therapy may focus on learning alternative methods of communication.

  • Communication applications or devices
  • Flashcards
  • Hand gestures
  • Writing

If you or a loved one has communication difficulties related to cerebrovascular disease, don’t hesitate any longer. Schedule an introductory call, and let us help rebuild those skills to communicate with confidence!