New on HyperbaricLink: Vascular Dementia

Today we have added vascular dementia to our Diseases and Conditions section. Vascular dementia is a loss of memory and thinking capacity as a result of impaired blood flow to parts of the brain. The second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia is more closely related to stroke. It may be caused by a major stroke, by many smaller strokes, or by damage to tiny vessels deep within the brain.

As a target for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, then, vascular dementia merits our separate consideration. With this new vascular dementia page, along with central retinal artery occlusion (really a stroke of the eye), we begin our reassessment of HBOT for stroke proper. From our commentary:

Advancing by small trials, with mixed results, early researchers still keep gathering promising clinical evidence on hyperbaric oxygen for acute ischemic stroke. Supplying oxygen-rich blood to the damaged brain makes good plain sense. HBOT has been approved for patients with intracranial abscess and acute traumatic ischemias, based on similar rationale. Likely any evidence to support HBOT for vascular dementia will arise from this broader field of investigation.

Our new vascular dementia page combines dementia and stroke resources for patients, families, and clinicians. We think visitors will especially enjoy Jill Bolte Taylor's TED talk.