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Vascular dementia
O'Brien JT, Thomas A.. Lancet (London, England), 2015-10-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Vascular dementia is one of the most common causes of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, causing around 15% of cases. However, unlike Alzheimer's disease, there are no licensed treatments for vascular dementia. Progress in the specialty has been difficult because of uncertainties over disease classification and diagnostic criteria, controversy over the exact nature of the relation between cerebrovascular pathology and cognitive impairment, and the paucity of identifiable tractable treatment targets. Although there is an established relation between vascular and degenerative Alzheimer's pathology, the mechanistic link between the two has not yet been identified. This Series paper critiques some of the key areas and controversies, summarises treatment trials so far, and makes suggestions for what progress is needed to advance our understanding of pathogenesis and thus maximise opportunities for the search for new and effective management approaches.
Key findings
- Vascular dementia is one of the most common causes of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, causing around 15% of cases.
- However, unlike Alzheimer's disease, there are no licensed treatments for vascular dementia.
- Progress in the specialty has been difficult because of uncertainties over disease classification and diagnostic criteria, controversy over the exact nature of the relation between cerebrovascular pathology and cognitive impairment, and the paucity of identifiable tractable treatment targets.
- Although there is an established relation between vascular and degenerative Alzheimer's pathology, the mechanistic link between the two has not yet been identified.
- This Series paper critiques some of the key areas and controversies, summarises treatment trials so far, and makes suggestions for what progress is needed to advance our understanding of pathogenesis and thus maximise opportunities for the search for new and effective management approaches.
Why it matters
This review states that vascular dementia causes around 15% of dementia cases and that, unlike Alzheimer's disease, there are no licensed treatments for it. It discusses uncertainties in classification and diagnosis and the lack of identifiable treatment targets, reporting no treatment, cure or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 59/100
Published in a top-tier journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 10 / 10 | Tier 1 — top-tier general journal (Lancet (London, England)) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | The Lancet: journal h-index 1,205 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2015 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,130 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 86.9 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 36.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 46 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 397 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Alan J. Thomas: h-index 81 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Cambridge: institution h-index 1,973 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26595643) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 59 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00463-8
- PubMed: 26595643
- Original source →
- Free full text: Apollo (University of Cambridge) →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
O'Brien, J. T., & Thomas, A. (2015). Vascular dementia. Lancet (London, England). https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00463-8
Vancouver
O'Brien JT, Thomas A. Vascular dementia. Lancet (London, England). 2015. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00463-8. PMID: 26595643.
BibTeX
@article{obrien2015-26595643,
author = {O'Brien, J. T. and Thomas, A.},
title = {{Vascular dementia}},
journal = {Lancet (London, England)},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00463-8},
pmid = {26595643},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00463-8}
}
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