Atherosclerosis and the Brain-Alzheimer's Disease

Chronic cerebrovascular ischemia in old rats produces an increased risk for the development of what appears to be Alzheimer's Disease, with observed deficits in spatial memory, visually guided movements, motor coordination, and escape behavior.
(Neurobiology of Aging 21: 225-233, 2000)

Vascular risk factors linked to cerebrovascular disease and stroke in the elderly significantly increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease. These include atherosclerosis, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The authors report that 60-90% of AD autopsy cases exhibit cerebrovascular pathology. (Neurobiology of Aging, 21: 321-330, 2000)

If a person has elevated levels of homocysteine, they are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's Disease.
(New England Journal of Medicine, 346(7):476-483, 2002)