Vascular Dementia

Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia, caused by blockages in the brain’s blood supply, is the second most common form of dementia in the United States and Europe, ranking behind Alzheimer’s disease.

Some research suggests that the most common type of vascular dementia, multi-infarct dementia (MID) may actually cause or exacerbate Alzheimer’s disease. At the very least, vascular dementia severely impacts memory and cognitive functioning. However, unlike Alzheimer’s, there are ways to prevent and reduce the severity of vascular dementia.

Vascular dementia is a degenerative cerebrovascular disease that leads to a progressive decline in memory and cognitive functioning. It occurs when the blood supply carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is interrupted by a blocked or diseased vascular system. Vascular dementia generally affects people between the ages of 60 and 75, and affects more men than women.

The most common type of vascular dementia is multi-infarct dementia (MID), which is caused by a series of small strokes, or “mini-strokes,” that often go unnoticed and cause damage to the cortex of the brain—the area associated with learning, memory, and language. These mini-strokes are sometimes referred to as transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), which result in only temporary, partial blockages of blood supply and brief impairments in consciousness or sight. Over time, however, the damage caused to brain tissue interferes with basic cognitive functions and disrupts everyday functioning.

Multi-infarct dementia causes loss of functioning to specific areas of the brain, impairing some neurological and mental functions and not others. When vascular dementia occurs with other types of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, it is known as “mixed dementia.”

Signs and symptoms of vascular dementia

Signs and symptoms are varied and usually reflect increasing difficulty to perform everyday activities, such as eating, dressing, shopping, etc. Possible signs and symptoms of vascular dementia include:

Signs and Symptoms of Vascular Dementia
Physical signs/symptoms	Behavioral signs/symptoms
Memory problems; forgetfulness Dizziness Leg or arm weakness Lack of concentration Moving with rapid, shuffling steps Loss of bladder or bowel control	Slurred speech Language problems Abnormal behavior Wandering or getting lost in familiar surroundings Laughing or crying inappropriately Difficulty following instructions Problems handling money

Onset can be gradual or dramatic. It appears that a prolonged period of TIAs leads to a gradual decline in memory, whereas a stroke can produce profound symptoms immediately. Regardless of the rate of appearance, vascular dementia typically progresses in a stepwise fashion, where lapses in memory and reasoning abilities are followed by periods of stability, only to give way to further decline.