Hello doctor, I had an MRI performed on my brain due to my visual perception being off and not seeing and understanding my location correctly while driving.I did hit someone and almost got into a larger accident. The right side of my head feels like there is a cyst or something there. My skull on the upper back right side would feel sore, bruised when touching it. It felt like a cyst, or something was inside the brain beyond the skull. After the MRI, it felt like a large bubble has got released from that area bursting into my skull. After the bubble burst, about an hour after the MRI, the bruising feeling in my skull started disappearing. There is a feeling like something is in my head in the upper back right side radiating up and down into my neck. On the right side of my neck, sometimes I feel a pinch or swelling but mostly feels like a lymph node is swollen. The MRI showed that I have a meningioma and localized frontal atrophy. The atrophy looks horrendous to me, and I found a lightened area where I have pain but it is not on the right but left side. My questions are:  Can you tell me whether a lightened area on an MRI could be an infection and not a tumor? As far as the atrophy is concerned, I have felt like my brain cannot create its energy for about 1 to 2 years. I was drinking a lot of sugar to provide energy but then started using supplements like acetyl carnitine which changes fat to fuel. I was under a lot of stress for several years and also was using a lot of anticholinergics like allergy medicine and antidepressants. I read that the brain will cannibalize itself for Choline. I take Choline now, but do you think my brain shrunk due to stress, not enough Choline, low blood pressure (not enough nutrients)? Would acetyl carnitine which helps utilize fat for fuel cannibalize my brain for fuel if I do not have enough glucose or ketones?  Currently, I am on Lexapro 20 mg, Wellbutrin 75 mg and Spironolactone 25 mg.
Hello. I would like to review your MRI report for a more professional opinion directly. A hyperintense lesion could be related to low blood perfusion area or migraine headaches (if you have suffered before). The meningioma is a benign tumor, which grows slowly without causing obvious symptoms. In case of a frontal meningioma, it can lead to depression and memory problems. Regarding the brain atrophy, it could be related to different possible causes: Chronic hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, a sedentary life, family history, etc. But, you should know that this is not a specific finding. As there are many persons with brain atrophy, who have normal cognitive function and well-preserved memory. So, as long as you do not have any short-term memory problems, there is nothing to worry about. I recommend consulting with a neurologist and performing some cognitive tests, just to be sure that everything is fine. It is also necessary following a healthy lifestyle: A healthy diet (Mediterranean diet, a low salt diet, be active and perform a lot of physical activity, avoid smoking or alcohol, etc.). I would also recommend continuing taking daily Aspirin. For more information consult a neurologist online -->