Vascular dementia is caused by conditions that damage or reduce blood flow to the brain's blood vessels. This reduction in blood flow deprives brain cells of oxygen and nutrients, which causes brain cell damage and death, leading to cognitive impairments associated with vascular dementia. Common causes include:
- Strokes (blockage of brain arteries), including silent strokes and multiple small strokes (multi-infarct dementia).
- Brain hemorrhages, often due to high blood pressure or weakened blood vessels.
- Narrowing or chronic damage to brain blood vessels caused by aging, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (cholesterol and plaque buildup), diabetes, smoking, and obesity.
Risk factors are similar to those for heart disease and stroke, such as increasing age, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and irregular heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation. Genetic factors are generally rare, with some exceptions like CADASIL, a rare inherited vascular condition. In summary, vascular dementia primarily results from conditions that impair the brain's blood supply and cause damage to blood vessels in the brain, leading to deficits in brain function.
