REEVALUATING THE ROLE OF VASCULAR CHANGES IN THE DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE AND VASCULAR DEMENTIA

Alzheimer's disease (AU) and vascular dementia (VaD) are the two most common causes of dementia, and much effort has been devoted to their d ifferential diagnosis. However, current epidemiological, clinical and neuropathological evidence points to a substantial overlap between AD and VaD and suggests that vascular pathology, the traditional cornerst one of the differential diagnosis between the two entities, may not re present as clear a line of demarcation as originally believed. It may be time to reevaluate the dichotomy between AD and VaD.