Alzheimer’s Disease, Cerebrovascular Disease and Dementia: A Potentially Preventable and Modifiable Syndrome

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) frequently co-exist and are part of a syndrome that may result in ageing-related cognitive impairment and dementia. Somemen and women with the neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular changes associated with dementia have normal cognition ascribed to a high cognitive reserve or resilience. Many measures claimed to decrease the risk of dementia are the same as those that prevent cardiovascular disease. In several countries the age-specific prevalence of dementia is decreasing and the decrease has been attributed to a decrease in cardiovascular risk factors andan increase in cognitive reserve associated with better education and healthier life-styles in recent generations.Modifiable risk factors are present in up to 50% of persons with dementia. By reducingrisk factors andpromotingprotective factors from early and mid-life onwards,cognitive impairment and dementia maybe prevented or delayedwell into old age in a significant proportion of men and women.