Moyamoya what?!?! That's what I said when a fellow speech pathologist expressed coming across this new diagnosis in her practice. The discussion arose out of my expressing my New Year's resolution to learn something new every day. In response to this statement, my friend said "I have something new that you probably haven't heard of", and she then proceeded to tell me about Moyamoya. The discussion piqued my interest so much that I decided to read further on the topic.
To give you a brief overview, Moyamoya is a rare, progressive disorder of the cerebral vessels that causes narrowing of the blood vessels to the brain. The part of the brain that is most impacted during the initial phases of Moyamoya is the basal ganglia.
Why is the basal ganglia important you say? Well, let me start by telling you that the basal ganglia is the control center for:
(a) Motor movements, such as walking, talking, writing, breathing, and eating.
(b) Executive functions, which we use to maintain attention, make decisions, regulate our behaviors, and much more.
(c) Behaviors, such as self-regulation.
(d) Emotions as related to mood control.
All of these functions in combination provide the opportunity for healthy development physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially.
As Moyamoya impacts both children and adults, it is important to be aware of the associated symptoms with the disease process. People with Moyamoya can experience disturbed consciousness, sensory and cognitive impairments, speech deficits, aphasia, vision problems, and involuntary movements. Furthermore, there seems to be a genetic link with Moyamoya as it tends to run in families.
However, do not despair!!! This article is not meant to inform you about a serious disease, then leave you in despair. I shared this information with you because it is salient to clients I treat as a speech-language pathologist, and to let you know that there is hope for individuals with Moyamoya through medical intervention.
Read my Source Linkto learn more about Moyamoya and the key medical interventions being used to enhance the quality of life for those with this diagnosis.
