Humana Vascular Dementia: Cerebrovascular Mechanisms and Clinical Management (Current Clinical Neurology)

A multidisciplinary survey of our current understanding of the biological and clinical aspects of vascular disease. The authors describe its basic mechanisms, its clinical characteristics, its pharmacological management, and the use of neuroimaging methods to investigate it. The complex relationship between VaD and AD is also fully explored with chapters on how these processes interact and how one disease may lower the threshold for clinical expression of the other. Review From the reviews: "This book is an update on the link between cerebrovascular disease and dementia. … The book has several strengths. … The diagrams, images, and tables are generally thoughtful. … Overall, Vascular Dementia is a valuable textbook. After reviewing it, I felt as if I had been brought up to date on a variety of topics related to the disorder … . I would recommend the book to geriatricians, internists, and neurologists who care for elderly patients as well as to clinical researchers in geriatric neurology." (Carol F. Lippa, New England Journal of Medicine, June, 2005) From the Back Cover With an aging population suffering from a high level of cardiac and cerebrovascular disease, it has become increasingly clear that the time may be ripe for a deeper understanding of vascular disease (VaD). In Vascular Dementia: Cerebrovascular Mechanisms and Clinical Management, a panel of multidisciplinary experts summarizes our current understanding of the biological and clinical aspects of the condition. The authors describe the basic mechanisms associated with aging and cerebrovascular disease that may play an important role in the development of VaD, and identify its impact on cognitive status, psychiatric health, and the ability of patients to complete the tasks of daily living. Additional chapters address the pharmacological management of vascular dementia and the use of neuroimaging methods to investigate it, with particular attention devoted to both functional and structural imaging techniques. The complex relationship between VaD and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is fully explored, with chapters on how these processes may interact and how one disease may lower the threshold for clinical expression of the other. The authors also consider the impact of VaD on the perceived quality of life of patients and caregivers, two issues rarely discussed in the scientific community. Comprehensive and thoroughly up-to-date, Vascular Dementia: Cerebrovascular Mechanisms and Clinical Management offers both clinicians and basic scientists a wide ranging account of this rapidly developing field, explores the direction of future VaD studies, and authoritatively describes today's optimal therapeutic approaches.