Cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and many other countries, confers substantial risk for cerebrovascular events, such as stroke and vascular dementia. The neuropsychological sequelae of such conditions are well documented and can have a devastating impact on individuals' quality of life. However, prior to the development of overt cerebrovascular complications, persons with cardiovascular disease or its risk factors may display mild to severe neuropsychological difficulties. Medical and surgical treatments for cardiovascular disease have also been found to affect neuropsychological function. This landmark volume offers the first comprehensive overview of the neuropsychological consequences of cardiovascular disease, tracking its natural history, epidemiology, and treatments. It encourages researchers and clinicians to consider all relevant facets of vascular disease processes in their evaluation, study, and treatment of affected patients and indicates a need for primary and secondary prevention efforts. Neuropsychology of Cardiovascular Disease will be welcomed as an invaluable resource by neuropsychologists, specialists in behavioral medicine, neurologists, cardiologists, epidemiologists, gerontologists, and many other health professionals whose work brings them into contact with these challenging patients.

"Roughly one of every three Americans has some form of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including more than 70 per cent of persons older than 75 years of age. Long associated with increased risk for mortality and disability, CVD is also a major risk factor for stroke and cerebrovascular disease. There has been growing consensus that CVD is also an important contributor to poor neurocognitive outcome in its own right. Numerous studies now link CVD to accelerated cognitive decline, structural and functional brain abnormalities, including neurodegenerative conditions in the elderly. This book was written to provide up-to-date insight into these heart-brain connections and the neuropsychology of CVD. ...Both clinicians and researchers in neuropsychology, health psychology, cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, geriatrics and many others will find this book an important resource."--Back cover.

Roughly one of every three Americans has some form of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including more than 70% of persons older than 75 years of age. Long associated with increased risk for mortality and disability, CVD is also a major risk factor for stroke and cerebrovascular disease. There has been growing consensus that CVD is also an important contributor to poor neurocognitive outcome in own right. Numerous studies now link CVD to accelerated cognitive decline, and structural and functional brain abnormalities, including neurodegnerative conditions in the elderly. While vascular dementia is the most obvious example of severe brain dysfunction directly tied to chronic vascular disease, evidence is also mounting that Alzheimer's disease may be linked to some of the same pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie cardiovascular disease. This book was written to provide up-to-date insight into these heart-brain connections and the neuropsychology of CVD. Highlights include: · Controversies in vascular dementia and vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) · Effects of aging on cerebral hemodynamics and autoregulation · How blood vessel function contributes to cognitive decline · Updates on the cognitive impact of cardiosurgical procedures · Neurocognitive aspects of heart failure · Neuropsychological evaluation of persons with CVD · Mechanisms by which neurological changes produce cardiac dysfunction · Recent findings in the structural and functional neuroimaging in CVD Both clinicians and researchers in neuropsychology, health psychology, cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, geriatrics and many others will find this book an important resource.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and most westernized nations. Both CVDs and their risk factors confer substantial risk for stroke and dementia, but are also associated with more subtle changes in brain structure and function and cognitive performance prior to such devastating clinical outcomes. It has been suggested that there exists a continuum of brain abnormalities and cognitive difficulties associated with increasingly severe manifestations of cardiovascular risk factors and diseases that precede vascular cognitive impairment and may ultimately culminate in stroke or dementia. This second edition examines the relations of a host of behavioral and biomedical risk factors, in addition to subclinical and clinical CVDs, to brain and cognitive function. Associations with dementia and pre-dementia cognitive performance are reported, described, and discussed with a focus on underlying brain mechanisms. Future research agendas are suggested, and clinical implications are considered. The volume is a resource for professionals and students in neuropsychology, behavioral medicine, neurology, cardiology, cardiovascular and behavioral epidemiology, gerontology, geriatric medicine, nursing, adult developmental psychology, and for other physicians and health care professionals who work with patients with, or at risk for, CVDs.

This book covers the explosion of new information about the relationship between the brain and its blood supply since the first edition was published in 2009. With new knowledge and its impact on clinical care, neurovascular neuropsychology has become a recognized sub-specialty that has been integrated into health care systems in the US and abroad. The second edition brings to this larger audience the latest word on these matters, with new emphasis on women’s issues, relevance to the pediatric population, insights from modern imaging, and advances in medical and surgical treatments such as heart transplantation, cardiovascular transarterial therapies, and noninvasive brain stimulation in connection with neurocognitive outcomes.

Neurovascular diseases and conditions, and their associated risk factors, represent a significant cause of cognitive disability in the United States and throughout the world. In the USA alone there are 750,000 new strokes each year, representing the number one cause of disability in the country. Hypertension, found in approximately 50 million Americans, has been shown to be associated with alterations of cognitive function, even in the absence of stroke and dementia. Recent studies of neurovascular disease have now revealed that neuropsychological function may be a more sensitive measure of brain integrity than coordination, motor or sensory function and correlates will with functional outcome measures. Neurovascular Neuropsychology focuses on focal and diffuse neurovascular disease in addition to systemic conditions in which cognition and behavior have been uniquely associated with different pathologic states. With an increasing number of patients being treated by healthcare professionals, Neurovascular Neuropsychology will prove to be a strong reference to consult in regards to neuropsychological syndromes.

Cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and many other countries, confers substantial risk for cerebrovascular events, such as stroke and vascular dementia. The neuropsychological sequelae of such conditions are well documented and can have a devastating impact on individuals' quality of life. However, prior to the development of overt cerebrovascular complications, persons with cardiovascular disease or its risk factors may display mild to severe neuropsychological difficulties. Medical and surgical treatments for cardiovascular disease have also been found to affect neuropsychological function. This landmark volume offers the first comprehensive overview of the neuropsychological consequences of cardiovascular disease, tracking its natural history, epidemiology, and treatments. It encourages researchers and clinicians to consider all relevant facets of vascular disease processes in their evaluation, study, and treatment of affected patients and indicates a need for primary and secondary prevention efforts. Neuropsychology of Cardiovascular Disease will be welcomed as an invaluable resource by neuropsychologists, specialists in behavioral medicine, neurologists, cardiologists, epidemiologists, gerontologists, and many other health professionals whose work brings them into contact with these challenging patients.