Premium
Is multi‐infarct dementia representative of vascular dementias? A retrospective study
Author(s) -
Parnetti L.,
Mecocci P.,
Santucci C.,
Gaiti A.,
Petrini A.,
Longo A.,
Cadini D.,
Caputo N.,
Signorini E.,
Senin U.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1990.tb01004.x
Subject(s) - dementia , vascular dementia , medicine , neurochemical , diabetes mellitus , stroke (engine) , cardiology , vascular disease , endocrinology , disease , mechanical engineering , engineering
Multi‐infarct dementia (MID) indicates a dementia disorder primarily caused by multiple cerebral infarcts. Since other pathogenetic mechanisms cause vascular dementia we evaluated clinical, CT scan and CSF neurochemical parameters of 134 MID and 67 PVD (probable vascular dementia) patients. We found no differences with regard to the presence of major risk factors. Only TIA/stroke episodes and focal neurological signs were significantly more frequent in MID than in PVD cases, an anticipable result on the basis of MID definition. CT scan findings showed a prevalence of subcortical with respect to cortical lesions in both groups, with a higher frequency in MID patients. Subjects with deep infarcts more frequently showed TIA/stroke episodes and diabetes mellitus. No differences were detectable in CSF monoamine metabolite levels. We conclude that in the majority of vascular dementias subcortical damage seems to have a major pathogenetic role.