Vascular dementia is a group of conditions that cause a decline in cognitive skills. People with vascular dementia experience problems with reasoning, judgment, and memory. These changes can occur suddenly, or they may be mild and go unnoticed at first.
Vascular dementia is caused by a blockage or lack of blood flow to the brain. Reduced blood flow to the brain deprives it of much-needed oxygen. Lack of oxygen and blood can damage the brain, even in a short period of time.
Vascular dementia, sometimes called vascular cognitive impairment, is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease.