A berry aneurysm is an enlargement of an area of an artery within the brain, which can be caused by genetic defects, old age, smoking, alcohol, drug abuse, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. While harmless most of the time, a ruptured berry aneurysm can be life-threatening and cause a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Early treatment is important to prevent complications.
The word aneurysm originally comes from the Greek word aneurysm, meaning “enlargement.” A berry aneurysm is the enlargement of an area of an artery within the brain, making that part of the artery unusually thin and prone to rupture under pressure. A projection forms in the thin part of the artery, which looks like a saccule or berry, hence the term saccular or berry aneurysm.
Most of the factors that lead to the development of a berry brain aneurysm are still largely unknown. Inherited genetic defects, however, have been linked to some berry aneurysm patients. Some patients with this type of aneurysm also have other disorders, such as Marfan syndrome, Ehler-Danlos syndrome (Type IV), and neurofibromatosis type 1.
Other factors that can increase an individual’s risk of developing a berry brain aneurysm are old age, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol intake, and drug abuse. Patients with a history of high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, as well as those with close relatives who suffered a brain aneurysm are more often at increased risk of developing a berry aneurysm as well. After menopause, women are also thought to be at a higher risk due to low levels of estrogen in the body.
Saccular berry aneurysms are harmless most of the time. If they don’t rupture, they rarely cause serious health problems for those affected. Many people are unaware that they have the condition and only become aware of its presence during medical evaluations for other health conditions. Patients generally don’t have it at birth, but develop the condition over time.
Ruptured berry aneurysms, however, can be life-threatening. A rupture can lead to bleeding inside the brain, causing a type of stroke called a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). SAH mainly presents with the sudden experience of a severe headache, described by many patients as the worst headache they have ever had. Other symptoms of ruptured berry aneurysm include nausea, neck stiffness, blurred or double vision, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
Bleeding inside the brain can cause damage to brain cells. This can lead to hydrocephalus, or fluid buildup within the brain, resulting in increased pressure within the skull and more damage to the brain tissues. Early treatment of a ruptured berry aneurysm is important to help prevent complications from developing. Neurosurgeons and neurologists are the medical experts who specialize in the treatment and management of these patients.
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