Who we are

The Vascular Training (VAST) Platform is a Canada-wide community that offers diverse training opportunities for researchers in the field of Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI). We provide trainee scholarships, VCI specific course material, professional development, an annual conference, as well as experiential learning opportunities by our collaborations with multiple organizations throughout Canada.

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What is Vascular Cognitive Impairment?

Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI) is an umbrella term to describe all forms of cognitive (i.e., thinking, reasoning, remembering) disorders associated with vascular disease. VCI encompasses the full range of deficits from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

Vascular disease and dysfunction contribute to most cases of dementia, often coexisting with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. Vascular disease can lead to stroke, directly damaging the brain or, more subtly, can induce covert infarctions (i.e., obstructions to blood supply) and/or white matter lesions which accumulate over time and increase the risk for developing dementia. Neurodegenerative processes, including AD, are associated with severe vascular dysfunction.

The Impact of VCI

The burden of VCI is not equally distributed in our populations and communities. A higher burden is experienced among ethnic minorities, immigrant populations, women, and person of lower socioeconomic status. There is a pressing need to determine not only the pathological processes involved, but also the social determinants in order to reduce the risk of VCI.