title: Defining the diagnosis of vascular dementia.
abstract: Vascular dementia (VaD) is a heterogeneous term that has evolved to describe the behavioral syndromes associated with a variety of clinical and neuropathologic changes. As such, the VaD literature lacks a clear consensus regarding the neuropsychological and other constituent characteristics associated with various cerebrovascular changes. We address the issues articulated by Paul and colleagues (Paul, Garrett, & Cohen, 2003), by offering four recommendations to refine the clinical assessment and diagnostic decision-making process of individuals with suspected cerebrovascular changes: (a) Describing the nature of vascular changes may facilitate predictions regarding the neuropsychological profile of subtypes of VaD; (b) employ a process approach to assessment, measuring cognitive constructs in addition to test scores to describe the neuropsychological profiles of types of VaD; (c) integrate direct MRI observations of the brain and other collateral data in the diagnostic process; and (d) consider using "vascular cognitive impairment, no dementia" for suspected prodromal VaD.
authors.affiliation: Utah State University and LDS Hospital Neurospecialty Rehabilitation Unit, Salt Lake City, UT 84143-0001, USA. kelly@drexel.edu
authors.forename: Kelly Davis
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Garrett
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Libon
authors.forename: Ron A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001519:Behavior; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging