Vascular neuropathology and cognitive decline

Abstract

Cerebrovascular disease is an important cause of cognitive decline and dementia. Despite numerous epidemiological, clinical, neuroimaging and neuropathological studies, the link between cerebrovascular lesions and their impact on cognition and behavior is still a matter of debate. Cerebrovascular lesions are heterogeneous and most descriptive studies distinguish vessel wall modifications, perivascular space modifications, white matter changes, and infarcts as the main features of vascular dementia. However, to date there is still no consensual criteria for the neuropathological diagnosis of vascular or mixed dementia. The diagnosis of these conditions still relies on both clinical and neuropathological expertise.

Keywords: Angiopathie amyloïde cérébrale; Arteriolosclerosis; Arteriolosclérose; Cerebral amyloid angiopathy; Lacunar infarct; Lacune; Micro-infarcts; Microinfarctus.