Vascular stenosis is when an artery is blocked because of plaque or another condition. When this happens in the brain, it's called cerebral vascular stenosis or intracranial vascular stenosis.
Common causes of this condition are high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and more.
Many people don't know they have cerebral vascular stenosis until they have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or ischemic stroke. A TIA is similar to a stroke but lasts for less time and usually leads to fewer negative effects.
Cerebral vascular stenosis is usually treated by putting a stent in the affected artery to keep it open.