Explaining Vascular Dementia

This video from the Alzheimer’s Society explains the second most common form of dementia: vascular dementia. 

MORE: What is dementia with Lewy bodies?

The disease is caused by an interruption in blood flow to the brain. The nerve cells in the brain require oxygen and other nutrients delivered by the blood to survive. If this flow gets cut off or diminishes, then cells begin to die, causing the development of dementia.

Strokes can occur when the blood supply becomes blocked or a leak develops, which can cause irreparable damage to the brain and lead to some of the well-known symptoms of vascular dementia such as memory loss, cognitive impairment and language difficulties.

MORE: Look inside the brain of an Alzheimer’s patient.

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