In this week's episode, we talk about vascular dementia, a significant yet often overlooked brain disorder caused by reduced blood flow, usually due to stroke and/or vascular disease. It accounts for 15-20% of dementia cases and leads to cognitive decline, memory loss, and motor impairments. While no cure exists, prevention is key—controlling risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing the disease. Research suggests that physical fitness offers strong protective benefits, and some Alzheimer’s medications may provide limited relief. Continued clinical trials are essential in the search for effective treatments, emphasizing the need for more participation in medical research to safeguard brain health. Listen to learn all about vascular dementia.

References:

Mossanen Parsi, M., Duval, C., & Ariëns, R. A. (2021). Vascular dementia and crosstalk between the complement and coagulation systems. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine, 8, 803169. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8733168/

Venkat, P., Chopp, M., & Chen, J. (2015). Models and mechanisms of vascular dementia. Experimental neurology, 272, 97-108. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4631710/

Skrobot, O. A., O'Brien, J., Black, S., Chen, C., DeCarli, C., Erkinjuntti, T., ... & Ben‐Shlomo, Y. (2017). The vascular impairment of cognition classification consensus study. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 13(6), 624-633. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27960092/

Pendlebury, S. T., & Rothwell, P. M. (2019). Incidence and prevalence of dementia associated with transient ischaemic attack and stroke: analysis of the population-based Oxford Vascular Study. The Lancet Neurology, 18(3), 248-258. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6390174/

Farooq, M. U., Min, J., Goshgarian, C., & Gorelick, P. B. (2017). Pharmacotherapy for vascular cognitive impairment. CNS drugs, 31(9), 759-776. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40263-017-0459-3

Hörder, H., Johansson, L., Guo, X., Grimby, G., Kern, S., Östling, S., & Skoog, I. (2018). Midlife cardiovascular fitness and dementia: a 44-year longitudinal population study in women. Neurology, 90(15), e1298-e1305. https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000005290