Dementia has equaled stroke as the third leading cause of mortality in the country after cancer and heart disease. Alzheimer s disease is the most common cause of senile dementia. Stroke is second. The stroke-related form of the disease is called vascular dementia. Dementia occurs six times more often in stroke patients than in the general population.
Stroke causes dementia by destroying critical brain areas.
Stroke also markedly worsens the clinical manifestations of Alzheimer s disease. At least half of the patients with Alzheimer s disease also have vascular brain lesions. Basic knowledge of Alzheimer s disease has increased greatly, including understandings of the genetics of familial forms of Alzheimer s. However, an effective treatment is not yet delineated. Dr. Royall has received national and international recognition for his research of sensitive neuropsychological tests for the early diagnosis of dementia.