What is so specific about VD?
Vascular dementia can result from either lack of blood (ischemia) or bleeding (hemorrhage) in the brain. In both cases, these injuries are at specific locations in the brain, which initially produce very tiny amounts of brain damage. The fascinating thing about VD is that the strokes are very selective and almost always affect cognitive behavior. The majority of individuals with vascular dementia will have deficits in cognition, memory and loss of concentration. What Causes VD? It is believed that in these individuals, a series of small multiple strokes occur which damage a select part of the brain. In essence the brain is deprived of essential oxygen and nutrients. The exact cause remains unknown but numerous conditions can be associated with VD. These include: – Conditions which cause narrowing of blood vessels to the brain – Conditions which completely block blood vessels in the brain – Severely low blood pressure such that the brain is not getting enough blood – Bleeding in the bra
