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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffVascular dementia symptoms can vary, depending on the portion of the brain that's affected. People with vascular dementia can experience:
- Confusion and agitation
- Problems with memory
- Unsteady gait
- Urinary frequency, urgency or incontinence
- Night wandering
- Depression
- A decline in the ability to organize thoughts or actions
- Difficulty planning ahead
- Trouble communicating details sequentially
- Memory loss
- Poor attention and concentration
Vascular dementia symptoms often begin suddenly and may worsen in a stepwise fashion, following a series of strokes or ministrokes. But some forms of vascular dementia develop gradually and can easily be confused with Alzheimer's disease.
Adding to the confusion, Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia often occur together. In fact, some scientists believe that it's more common for these two disorders to occur together than apart.
- Dementia: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dementias/detail_dementia.htm. Accessed March 14, 2009.
- Vascular dementia. Alzheimer's Association. http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_vascular_dementia.asp. Accessed March 14, 2009.
- Bird TD, et al. Dementia. In: Fauci AS, et al.: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2904052. Accessed March 11, 2009.
- Wright CB. Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of vascular dementia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 12, 2009.
- Dementia. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch213/ch213c.html. Accessed March 14, 2009.
- Aricept (prescribing information). Woodcliff Lake, N.J.: Eisai Inc.; 2006. http://www.aricept.com/images/AriceptComboFullPINovember02006.pdf. Accessed March 12, 2009.
- Namenda (prescribing information). St. Louis, Mo.: Forrest Pharmaceuticals; 2007. http://www.frx.com/pi/namenda_pi.pdf. Accessed March 12, 2009.
- Aminoff MJ, et al. Disorders of cognitive function. In: Aminoff MJ, et al. Clinical Neurology. 6th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2005. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2079000. Accessed March 11, 2009.
- Wright CB. Treatment and prevention of vascular dementia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 12, 2009.
