What is Vascular Dementia?

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north48813@gmail.com - 31 Jan 2008 18:11 GMT

I was told by my Dr that I have Vascular Dementia, which he says is a
diabetes brain disease. I find nothing like this listed under
dementia web pages. I am very foggy about half the time, forgetful
about simple words and lost most interest in things that once excited
me. I depend on people to direct me in my tasks. I have had type 2
diabetes about 8 years now. Does anyone know what this is, and can
help me know what the prognosis is? The Dr said that the best way to
deal with it is to focus on keeping my diabetes under control. Does
this mean I have a full life expectancy, or is life limited to a
decade or so at best such as with AD?

NorthStorm (Tom)

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Evelyn Ruut - 31 Jan 2008 19:03 GMT

>I was told by my Dr that I have Vascular Dementia, which he says is a
> diabetes brain disease. I find nothing like this listed under
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> NorthStorm (Tom)

Tom, my dad has diminished blood flow to his brain, which causes his memory
to be a little impaired as well. I don't know if it is really a symptom
of poor control of ones diabetes, because my dad doesn't have diabetes at
all. But it is important to keep good control anyway.

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Best Regards,

Evelyn

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Tim - 31 Jan 2008 22:10 GMT

> Tom, my dad has diminished blood flow to his brain, which causes his
> memory to be a little impaired as well. I don't know if it is really
> a symptom of poor control of ones diabetes, because my dad doesn't have
> diabetes at all. But it is important to keep good control anyway.

"The presence of diabetes is another risk factor for vascular dementia.
In elderly subjects observed for an average of 4.6 years, those with
diabetes were over three times more likely to experience
stroke-associated dementia (13). There was a more modest relationship
between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Patients with diabetes are
also at high risk for cardiovascular diseases. Glucose control and
management of cardiovascular risk factors decrease, but do not
eliminate, the risk."

http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2005/01_05/black.htm

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Evelyn Ruut - 01 Feb 2008 00:01 GMT

>> Tom, my dad has diminished blood flow to his brain, which causes his
>> memory to be a little impaired as well. I don't know if it is really
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2005/01_05/black.htm

I too have heard there is a link, but it isn't a certainty that all
diabetics will get it. Perhaps it is just one more link or one more factor
among many. Just as there is also a genetic link, but not everyone with a
parent who had alzheimers also gets it. I think they don't know all there
is to know about it just yet.

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Best Regards,

Evelyn

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Mary_Gordon@tvo.org - 31 Jan 2008 22:13 GMT

http://www.helpguide.org/elder/vascular_dementia.htm

If you do a search using the term "vascular dementia" lots of sites
will come up. Essentially its mini-strokes or blockages, causing
cumulative damage - i.e. over time, tiny blocks in the brain from
clots or arteriosclerosis damages blood flow, and cause tiny areas of
tissue death. Each event in itself is teeny, and won't cause visible
symptoms, but over time, the damage accumulates and becomes
sympamatic. "Multi-infarct dementia" is a term for the most common
type of vascular dementia.

Risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure, high
cholesterol,Type 1 and 2 diabetes (particularly if badly regulated)
irregular cardiac action (heart beat), and occlusion (closing) of
blood vessels leading to the brain.

M

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august - 01 Feb 2008 00:35 GMT

>I was told by my Dr that I have Vascular Dementia, which he says is a
> diabetes brain disease. I find nothing like this listed under
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> NorthStorm (Tom)

Vascular dementia is the name for any dementia caused by a vascular injury
to the brain. Usually this means a stroke of some type but damage to the
blood supply to the brain regardless of cause (diabetes included) would also
qualify. Here is a good web page on vascular dementia.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vascular-dementia/DS00934

Diabetes is listed as one potential Risk Factor on this webpage. My MIL
(mother in law) had a severe case of temporal arteritis which is listed as a
Cause.

If your vascular dementia is caused by low blood flow rather than a stroke,
I would talk with my Dr and do whatever I could to avoid suffering a stroke.
We give my MIL one enteric coated aspirin daily.

You do not have Alzheimer's. Many people call all types of dementia
Alzheimers when actually the various dementias only share some
characteristics but differ in other ways - including certain progression of
symptoms. You did not give your age. As long as you do not suffer a stroke
you might not suffer the progressive worsening so typical of Alzheimer's. My
MIL had her microstroke from temporal arteritis over 15 years ago at age 75
and her dementia symptoms have remained pretty much stable until recently
when she really began to get along in the years. Hopefully your symptoms can
also remain no worse.

Have you had a CT or MRI of your brain to make sure you do not have a
fixable blockage or problem? That is something for you to think about and
discuss with your Dr.

While the diabetes can certainly shorten your life, if my MIL is any
indication, vascular dementia need not shorten your life unless you have a
severe stroke. It will mean that as you age you will need a lot more help to
live alone or even live well in an assisted living situation. Start planning
ahead now. Good luck, AW

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