[Encephalopathy and other neurologic syndromes with familial occurrence]

A review is presented of literature data concerning vascular disease occurring in families. They manifested clinically as recurrent TIA, ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes and other blood supply disturbances and lead to numerous vasogenic brain tissue damage of various intensity. Particularly evident lesions are observed in hemispheric white matter. Progressive neurological symptoms and dementia form the picture of subcortical leucoencephalopathy in several members of a family. Moyamoya disease, fibromuscular dysplasia, hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia, hereditary cerebral haemorrhage with amyloidosis, pseudoxanthoma elasticum, two types of subcortical encephalopathy in Japan, HERNS and CADASIL are described.