Final answer:
The impact of vascular dementia is primarily determined by the damage to blood vessels in the brain, rather than the amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The key factor in determining the impact of vascular dementia is c) Damage to blood vessels in the brain. Vascular dementia is caused by conditions that block or reduce blood flow to the brain, depriving brain cells of vital oxygen and nutrients. Factors leading to vascular dementia include stroke or conditions such as atherosclerosis, which involves the thickening and hardening of the brain's blood vessel walls. The condition results in areas of brain damage wherever the blood flow is reduced or blocked. Unlike Alzheimer's disease, which is associated with amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles formed by proteins such as beta-amyloid, vascular dementia is primarily associated with vascular problems.