Controversies in Vascular Dementia

Abstract

With a steady increase in elderly population worldwide, senile dementia has drawn increasing attention. Even though vascular dementia is a common type of senile dementia in some parts of the world, we have had controversies in the definition and diagnostic criteria and the neuropathologic substrates of vascular dementia. To make the matter more complicated, there are regional differences in prevalent type of ischemic vascular dementia in different parts of the world. Those disagreement and regional differences have generated confusion and prevented establishment of a universally acceptable diagnostic criteria. While further efforts are necessary to settle the controversies, it is important, meanwhile, that investigators are aware of the presence of different types of vascular dementia in different parts of the world, and are careful in selecting the diagnostic criteria of vascular dementia which fits well to their purposes and the type of vascular dementia prevalent in their regions. (Hypertens Res 1994; 17 Suppl. I: S103-S107). © 1994, The Japanese Society of Hypertension. All rights reserved.