Small vessel disease and memory loss: what the clinician needs to know to preserve patients' brain health.

Small vessel disease (SVD) in the brain manifests in the periventricular and deep white matter and radiographically is described as "leukoaraiosis". It is increasingly recognized as a cause of morbidity from middle age onward and this clinical relevance has paralleled advances in the field of neuroradiology. Overall, SVD is a heterogenous group of vascular disorders that may be asymptomatic, or a harbinger of many conditions that jeopardize brain health. Management and prevention focuses on blood pressure control, lifestyle modification, and symptomatic treatment.