Vascular dementia is one of the most common forms of mental deterioration for the elderly, second only to Alzheimer's disease. It should not be defined as a single disease, but rather as a group of syndromes that relate to different vascular mechanisms. This is one of the first books to be solely dedicated to the specific class of vascular dementia known as subcortical vascular dementia. The strict focus of the chapters give an depth review that will clarify many different aspects and give an unprecedented amount of detail about this clinical problem. Considering that vascular dementia can be prevented with early diagnosis, the research presented in this book will be important for both students and specialists of this important field.

The care of stroke patients has changed dramatically. As well as improvements in the emergency care of the condition, there have been marked advances in our understanding, management and rehabilitation of residual deficits. This book is about the care of stroke patients, focusing on behavioural and cognitive problems. It provides a comprehensive review of the field covering the diagnostic value of these conditions, in the acute and later phases, their requirements in terms of treatment and management and the likelihood and significance of long-term disability. This book will appeal to all clinicians involved in the care of stroke patients, as well as to neuropsychologists, other rehabilitation therapists and research scientists investigating the underlying neuroscience.

Distils the most valuable discoveries in dementia research into clear, insightful chapters written by international experts.

This up-to-date, superbly illustrated book is a practical guide to the effective use of neuroimaging in the patient with cognitive decline. It sets out the key clinical and imaging features of the various causes of dementia and directs the reader from clinical presentation to neuroimaging and on to an accurate diagnosis whenever possible. After an introductory chapter on the clinical background, the available "toolbox" of structural and functional neuroimaging techniques is reviewed in detail, including CT, MRI and advanced MR techniques, SPECT and PET, and image analysis methods. The imaging findings in normal ageing are then discussed, followed by a series of chapters that carefully present and analyze the key findings in patients with dementias. Throughout, a practical approach is adopted, geared specifically to the needs of clinicians (neurologists, radiologists, psychiatrists, geriatricians) working in the field of dementia, for whom this book will prove an invaluable resource.

Up-to-date discussion of the etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of this common cause of stroke and cognitive impairment.

Clinical case studies have long been recognized as a useful adjunct to problem-based learning and continuing professional development. They emphasize the need for clinical reasoning, integrative thinking, problem-solving, communication, teamwork and self-directed learning – all desirable generic skills for health care professionals. This book is a teaching tool that bridges the gap between textbook information and everyday experience of clinicians 'in the trenches'. Leading practitioners bring a practical approach to these complex conditions, highlighting specific areas of diagnostic uncertainty in evaluation and treatment. Each case is taken from real-world clinical practice and reviews the diagnostic and treatment process in a systematic manner, identifying common challenges and potential pitfalls. This concise and useful guide in the Common Pitfalls series provides a step-by-step guide for everyday clinical practice, invaluable to anyone dealing with cerebrovascular disease on a front-line basis. The intended readership is trainees and non-specialist practitioners in neurology, stroke medicine, and neurosurgery.

Atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of heart attacks, strokes and peripheral vascular disease, is one of the major killers in the world. By 2020 WHO statistics indicate that it will be the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in both the industrialised world and the underdeveloped world. The disease develops slowly over many years in the innermost layer of large and medium-sized arteries (Fig. 1) (Scott, 1995; Ross, 1999; Naumova and Scott, 2000; Glass and Witztum, 2001; Libby, 2001). It does not usually become manifest before the fourth of fifth decade, but then often strikes with devas tating suddenness. Fifty per cent of individuals still die (25 per cent immedi ately) from their first heart attack; and morbidity from coronary heart disease and stroke is very significant. The disease has a profound impact on health care services and on industrial economies. The lesions of atherosclerosis Autopsy studies show that in humans atherosclerosis begins in the first and second decade of life. A similar disease can be produced in experimental animals, where diet and genetics can be manipulated to produce identical lesions. The earliest lesions are fatty streaks. These consist of an accumulation of lipid-engorged macrophages (foam cells) and T and B lymphocytes in the arterial intima. With time, the fatty streaks progress to intermediate lesions, composed of foam cells and smooth muscle cells.