title: Pathophysiologic relationship between Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cardiovascular risk: A review and synthesis.
abstract: As the population ages due to demographic trends and gains in life expectancy, the incidence and prevalence of dementia increases, and the need to understand the etiology and pathogenesis of dementia becomes ever more urgent. Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a complex disease, the mechanisms of which are poorly understood. The more we learn about AD, the more questions are raised about our current conceptual models of disease. In the absence of a cure or the means by which to slow disease progress, it may be prudent to apply our current knowledge of the intersection between AD, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease to foster efforts to delay or slow the onset of AD. This review discusses our current understanding of the epidemiology, genetics, and pathophysiology of AD, the intersection between AD and vascular causes of dementia, and proposes future directions for research and prevention.
authors.affiliation: Lifespan Clinical Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Cláudia Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Lifespan Clinical Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA; Department of Neurology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Wen-Chih
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Griffith University School of Medicine, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Mia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Echeverria
authors.affiliation: Lifespan Clinical Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Neurology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alber
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Cardiovascular disease; Cerebrovascular disease; Dementia; Risk factors; VCID; Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia