Vascular Dementia

Vascular Dementia

• Vascular dementia is the second most common type of dementia.
• Vascular dementia is more likely to develop in individuals who have had a stroke or other cardiovascular disease.

Causes of Vascular Dementia

• Injury to the brain in vascular dementia is primarily caused by cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs), also known as strokes.
• A Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) is characterized by a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain.
• CVAs are a major risk factor for vascular dementia.

Risk Factors for Cerebral Vascular Accidents (CVAs)

• Hypertension is mentioned as a risk factor for a Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) in the text.

Symptoms of Cerebral Vascular Accidents (CVAs)

• The specific symptoms of a Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) are determined by the location and severity of the injury to the brain.
• The two broad subtypes of strokes mentioned in the text are hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes.

Types of Strokes

• Hemorrhagic strokes are primarily associated with a massive hemorrhage resulting from a weakened portion of a blood vessel.
• Ischemic strokes are further subdivided into two primary subtypes: cerebral thrombosis and cerebral embolism.
• Cerebral thrombosis is caused by a blood clot that forms in a brain blood vessel.
• Cerebral embolism is caused by a blood clot that originates elsewhere in the body and travels to the brain, where it becomes lodged in a blood vessel.

Characteristics of Hemorrhagic and Ischemic Strokes

• Hemorrhagic strokes are less common but more dangerous than ischemic strokes.
• Approximately 30% of individuals are reported to experience new onset deficits or worsening of cognitive function following a stroke.

Trajectory of Functioning After a Stroke

• The typical trajectory of functioning, both cognitive and motoric, in the months following a Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) shows an initial decline, followed by partial recovery.

Relationship Between Stroke and Dementia

• There is a strong relationship between stroke and dementia, with stroke being a major risk factor for vascular dementia.

Subtypes of Vascular Dementia

• The first subtype of vascular dementia, described by Meyer et al (2002), is characterized by strategically placed infarcts affecting specific brain regions.
• The second subtype of vascular dementia is characterized by small-vessel disease, also known as subcortical vascular dementia.

Cognitive Deficits in Vascular Dementia

• Cognitive deficits in vascular dementia are characterized by disrupted connections between the prefrontal cortex and other brain regions.
• The cognitive functions most prominently affected in vascular dementia are executive functions, such as planning and decision-making.
• Memory problems in vascular dementia are less severe and more variable than those seen in Alzheimer's disease.

Treatment of Vascular Dementia

• One potential treatment approach for vascular dementia is the use of cholinesterase inhibitors, which have been shown to be effective in Alzheimer's disease and may also be beneficial in vascular dementia, according to Mendez et al (1999).