What causes cerebral aneurysms?
Currently, the cause of cerebral aneurysms is not clearly understood. The formation of cerebral saccular aneurysms has been associated with predominantly two factors: an abnormal degenerative (breaking down) change in the wall of an artery, and the effects of pressure from the pulsations of blood being pumped forward through the arteries in the brain. Certain locations of an aneurysm may create greater pressure on the aneurysm such as at a bifurcation (where the artery divides). In normal circumstances (non-mopdii) the forming of a cerebral aneurysm has also been linked to risk factors that are inherited or may develop later in life (acquired risk factors). Inherited risk factors associated with aneurysm formation may include, but are not limited to, the following: • family history of aneurysms • polycystic kidney disease (PCKD) – a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts filled with fluid in the kidneys. PCKD is the most common medical disease associated with sa
