Correlation between Strokes and Dementia

Dementia is a serious health condition in which the patient gradually loses his/her cognitive abilities. Studies done on this disease show there are numerous conditions that can cause Dementia. While, some of these conditions are treatable and can be avoided by making certain changes in lifestyle, there are others conditions about which not much can be done.

What is Dementia?

Dementia is a condition in which a person gradually loses his/her mental ability. The condition degenerates with time and as the condition worsens, patients experience a complete loss of their cognitive abilities.

What causes Dementia?

The condition is a result of gradual degeneration of brain cells in cerebral cortex, part of the human brain responsible for higher brain processes, such as thinking, reasoning, sensation, and memory. When the brain cells in cerebral cortex – the ‘grey matter’ of our brain – dies, patient loses their cognitive abilities. When this happens, patients face extreme difficulty in doing everyday tasks or reasoning through simple problems.

The biggest contributor to Dementia is Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the second major cause of this debilitating disease is vascular dementia. In vascular dementia, brain cells in cerebral cortex die gradually as a result of series of strokes, majority of which are minor in nature.

How stroke causes vascular dementia?

Cells in our body rely on life-nourishing oxygen for energy and growth and the oxygen is transported to different parts of the body by arteries. Stroke occurs when the brain does not receive the required amount of oxygen and blood. This happens when either the blood vessels that transfer the oxygen and other nutrients burst or are clogged. When the brain cells are deprived of oxygen and blood for more than a few seconds, brain cells begin to die. The death of brain cells in cerebral cortex leads to the onslaught of vascular dementia.

Changes in lifestyle can reduce the risk of stroke

Vascular dementia is a very difficult condition to live with or see one’s loved ones dealing with. The patient loses their cognitive capabilities, causing great frustration and pain, as doing everyday tasks becomes progressively difficult.

Strokes can put you at a greater risk of developing dementia. With awareness and making changes in our lifestyle we can reduce the risk of developing stroke.

Eating a balanced diet and regular exercise helps in controlling the level of LDL, or bad cholesterol. This, in turn, reduces and controls the plaque buildup in the arterial walls, improving the blood flow in the body.

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