Vascular cognitive impairment in India: Challenges and opportunities for prevention and treatment

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Vascular contribution to cognitive impairment and dementia is a major health concern in India.
• Approximately 5.3 million people in India have dementia, with vascular dementia accounting for about 40%.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the unique challenges in reducing the burden of vascular dementia and vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) in India.
• To underscore the need for context-specific research and intervention strategies for VCI in India.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of existing data on dementia prevalence and risk factors in India.
• Identification of challenges including heterogeneity in risk profiles, socioeconomic factors, and limited research infrastructure.
• Review of ongoing efforts in population-level cardiovascular risk reduction and VCI diagnosis.

Main Results:

• Significant challenges exist in implementing uniform preventive and therapeutic strategies for VCI due to diverse factors.
• Limited longitudinal data on vascular disease natural history and lack of advanced neuroimaging/genetic information hinder understanding of VCI pathophysiology.
• Development of culturally appropriate cognitive measures and establishment of multicentric stroke cohorts are underway.

Conclusions:

• Addressing the growing burden of VCI in India necessitates filling critical research gaps.
• Developing tailored intervention strategies for the Indian population is crucial for effective VCI management and prevention.