Part 2/11:
Many people conflate dementia with Alzheimer’s disease, but dementia simply describes a decline in cognitive function, which can result from various underlying causes.
Vascular dementia is a common form directly related to blood vessel health. It arises when blood vessels narrow or become dysfunctional, leading to insufficient blood flow to the brain.
Alzheimer’s disease, on the other hand, involves more complex pathology, including the growth of abnormal blood vessels that secrete neurotoxins and promote plaque formation. Interestingly, scans of Alzheimer’s patients often show an increased number of blood vessels, but these are dysfunctional—unable to deliver proper blood flow and sometimes secreting harmful substances that damage brain cells.