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F5‐02‐03: The neuropathology of vascular cognitive disorders
Author(s) -
Kalaria Rajesh
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2012.05.1958
Subject(s) - arteriolosclerosis , cerebral amyloid angiopathy , neuropathology , dementia , vascular dementia , medicine , cognitive decline , pathological , pathology , leukoaraiosis , disease , cognition , white matter , dementia with lewy bodies , neuroscience , cardiology , psychology , magnetic resonance imaging , psychiatry , radiology
They are discussed broadly under the rubric of vascular cognitive disorders (VCD). It is recognized that cognitive impairment due to cerebrovascular disease is on a continuum, and a categorization into Mild and Major Vascular Cognitive Disorder categories is suggested. Major Cognitive Disorder is preferred to, but used interchangeably with, the term Vascular Dementia. The need for both clinical and neuroimaging criteria to establish vascular etiology is recommended. Cortico-subcortical and subcortical subtypes of VCD are described, as is a separate haemorrhagic subtype. The co-occurrence of Alzheimer’s pathology in many patients with VCD is recognized and the need for biomarkers emphasized. Conclusions: A coherent approach to the diagnosis of this diverse group of disorders is needed, which acknowledges the current limitations in the knowledge base. It is hoped that this proposal will lead to clinical and pathological validation studies, and that the criteria will be harmonized with the forthcoming DSM-5 and the ICD-11 criteria so that an international consensus on the criteria for VCD can be achieved.