Table 3.

Current knowledge gaps and future directions in stroke–dementia interaction

Area of uncertainty	Knowledge gap	Future direction
Insights into pathogenetic mechanisms	The mechanisms linking stroke and cerebrovascular disease to cognitive impairment and dementia are still partially obscure	Basic science studies, clinical surveys, as well as neuroimaging and genetic studies are awaited
Efficacy and feasibility of preventive strategies	Although stroke and dementia prevention and treatment are a worldwide priority, we still do not know how many cases can be effectively prevented, and which are the most effective interventions (changes in lifestyle and health behavior, pharmacological management of cardiovascular risk factors, neuroprotective drugs, etc)	Epidemiological studies and clinical trials are warranted
Effective treatments and interventions	At present, there is no specific pharmacological treatment approved for the treatment of vascular cognitive impairment, and efficacy of nonpharmacological approaches is still under study	Future clinical trials are expected to assess the efficacy of both new pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments, as well as the effects of multidomain approaches
Implementation of enhanced patient care	Stroke and dementia are major causes of mortality and disability. Consequent reflections on physical, psychological, and social domains of health and well-being of both patient and caregiver are still insufficiently investigated in clinical practice	Targeted interventions aimed at quality of life and caregiver support should be stimulated