Hamostaseologie 2025; 45(04): 324-334
DOI: 10.1055/a-2518-9103
Review Article

Pathophysiology and Management of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

Mariana B. Morais
1   Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
2   Lopes Lab Unit, Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine, Lisbon, Portugal
,
Diana Aguiar de Sousa
1   Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
2   Lopes Lab Unit, Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine, Lisbon, Portugal
3   Neurosciences Department, Stroke Center, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central – ULS São José, Lisbon, Portugal
› Author Affiliations

Funding No funding sources to report.
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Abstract

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a less common type of stroke that can occur across all age groups but predominantly affects children and young adults. Diagnosis is often challenging due to the nonspecific and variable clinical presentation. The disease course is heterogeneous, with CVT-related parenchymal lesions developing in approximately 50 to 60% of cases. Despite some advancements, significant gaps persist in understanding the pathophysiology of CVT, including the mechanisms underlying brain injury. Anticoagulation is the cornerstone of CVT treatment, but strategies targeting secondary mechanisms of parenchymal damage are still lacking. Here, the current state of the field is briefly reviewed, with the aim to introduce a wide audience (neuroscientists and clinicians alike) to the disease and inform clinical practice and future research.

Data Availability Statement

This manuscript is a narrative review—original data are not implicated.


Statement of Ethics

Ethical approval is not required for this study in accordance with the local and/or national guidelines and journal policy.


Authors' Contributions

M.B.M.: conceptualization and writing.


D.A.d.S.: conceptualization, editing, and review.




Publication History

Received: 02 November 2024

Accepted: 03 February 2025

Article published online:
08 April 2025

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