Vascular dementia is a general term used to describe problems with thinking, planning, memory, and other mental functions that result from brain damage caused by decreased blood flow. This can happen after having a stroke that blocks one of the arteries in your brain, but not every stroke causes vascular dementia. The amount of impact it has on your thinking skills depends on its severity and location. Vascular dementia might also be caused by conditions that damage blood vessels and cause reduced circulation that leaves the brain without oxygen and essential nutrients.
The start of vascular dementia usually comes along with illnesses connected to aging, such as heart disease, atherosclerosis (hardening arteries), or stroke. And, as people live longer, they are more likely to suffer chronic diseases like diabetes or heart-related issues.
Research shows that many individuals who show signs of vascular dementia also have Alzheimer's disease. This adds a layer of complexity to diagnosing the condition. However, if only vascular dementia is present there are some notable distinctions.
While Alzheimer's disease dementia is known for its clear memory loss, vascular dementia can cause a wide variety of effects. The areas of the brain that are affected by inadequate blood flow determine which symptoms will be present; most often, it involves problems with speed of thought, decision making, and memory. In addition to these, confusion, a lack of organization, an inability to plan out actions, depression, and apathy may also be part of the changes that you see in your loved one.
Vascular dementia may appear suddenly after a single stroke that leads to drastic changes in reasoning and thinking. It may also come about as a result of multiple strokes producing a recognizable pattern of symptoms. Unlike Alzheimer’s disease dementia, vascular dementia will occur in steps and plateaus rather than steadily declining. One day may be remarkedly quiet and calm at 10:00 AM, but at 2:00 PM on the same day chaos may occur.