From empirical efficacy to neurovascular and cerebrovascular systems perspective: a bibliometric and visualized analysis of traditional Chinese medicine for vascular dementia

Objective

Vascular dementia (VaD) is a major form of cognitive impairment associated with cerebrovascular injury, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, impaired neurovascular coupling, and progressive disruption of brain homeostasis. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-related interventions for VaD encompass heterogeneous categories, including herbal formulas, single herbs, natural products, plant-derived bioactive compounds, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and moxibustion. Within this broad landscape, the herbal and natural-product branch provides an important interface linking TCM research with food-medicine homology, neurological nutrition, and neurovascular protection. This bibliometric study aimed to map the research landscape, knowledge structure, hotspots, and emerging trends of TCM-related interventions for VaD, with particular attention to herbal, natural-product, and neurovascular research.