Tackling a “growing menace”— vascular dementia

Stroke scientists and clinicians meet in Toronto March 5-7, 2006

Toronto , ONT - Leading experts in the science, treatment and prevention of cognitive impairment related to stroke are meeting in Toronto on March 5-7 for the 16 th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference. The main presentations take place Monday and Tuesday. This year's theme is Stroke and Cognition: What's Hot.

While major strokes, especially the kind that strike well-known people such as former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, get all the attention, silent mini strokes - the slow cumulative insults to the brain over time - have been robbing many Canadians prematurely of their cognitive powers. Until recently the medical community hasn't focused much on the diagnosis and treatment of vascular dementia because the guidelines have not always been clearcut. But this year's Rotman conference signals an important shift in scientific progress, urgency and action.

One of Canada 's leading stroke experts and the closing keynote presenter, Dr. Vladimir Hachinski, is expected to sound the alarm about the "growing menace" of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). He defines VCI as any cognitive disorder caused by or associated with vascular factors (e.g. heart disease, hypertension, high lipids). Another of this country's leading neurologists, Dr. Sandra Black , will describe how creeping cumulative lesions to the brain's white matter (from vascular disease) is prevalent in many older adults and more destructive to cognitive function than first thought, particularly in the slowing of information processing.

The great news coming out of this conference - vascular cognitive impairment is not only preventable in many cases, but treatable if caught early.

Dr. Hachinski, an investigator with the Canadian Stroke Network and recently elected vice-president of the World Federation of Neurology, is one of an increasing number of professionals advocating for a common approach to dealing with stroke and dementia, and for earlier diagnosis and intervention with drug therapies and lifestyle changes.

"The same risk factors for stroke lead to dementia," he says. "We really need to see high-risk individuals early in life to get their risk factors under control before damage accumulates." Physical inactivity, obesity, hypertension and hyperlipidemia are all risk factors for stroke and also for Alzheimer's disease.

Conference presenters on March 6 and 7 will focus on new insights into the diagnosis and prevention of VCI (Dr. Phil Gorelick); growing evidence of white matter disease, indicating high risk for stroke and dementia (Dr. Black); post-stroke rehabilitation (Drs. William McIlroy, Brian Levine and Jon Ween); new treatment approaches for vascular dementia using Alzheimer's drugs (Dr. Steven Salloway); and intriguing preliminary data showing prophylactic treatment of all post-stroke patients may significantly reduce the rates of post-stroke depression and potentially improve other outcomes as well (Dr. Nathan Herrmann).

Other presenters include Dr. Oscar Lopez (current challenges with clinical diagnosis of vascular dementia), Dr. Donald Stuss (stroke's impact on executive functions of the brain) and Dr. Gustavo Roman (definitions and diagnostic criteria).

Post-stroke rehabilitation: a message of hope
"Most people still have a fatalistic attitude toward stroke, believing there isn't much we can do to repair brain damage," says Dr. Jon Ween , chair of this year's conference and director of the Louis and Leah Posluns Stroke and Cognition Clinic in the Brain Health Centre Clinics at Baycrest Geriatric Health Care System.

"But powerful imaging technology has opened a window into how the brain reorganizes after stroke. We know that with targeted therapeutic interventions, the injured brain can rewire itself to restore function. We also know there is a lot we can do to lower our risk of stroke and stroke-related vascular dementia. This is clearly an exciting and hopeful time."

Dr. Ween is part of a stellar roster of scientists and clinicians at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario's Centre for Stroke Recovery , a major sponsor of this year's conference. Established in 2003, the Centre for Stroke Recovery has three partners: Baycrest, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre ( University of Toronto ), and Ottawa Health Research Institute ( University of Ottawa ). The research synergies created by this partnership will lead to major advances in stroke prevention, treatment and recovery.

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For more information on this release, to request a press kit with abstracts, or to interview any of the conference presenters on March 6 and 7, please contact:

Kelly Connelly
Senior Media Relations Officer
The Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest
Office: 416.785.2432, Pager: 416.612.5494
kconnelly@baycrest.org