Vascular parkinsonism is a very heterogeneous clinical entity. Historically it goes back to the concept of the relation of cerebrovascular diseases and parkinsonism in the twenties of the 20 th century when the unit of arteriosclerotic Parkinson’s syndrome was created – the predecessor of vascular parkinso- nism. The submitted paper deals with historical and contemporary views on the possible vascular genesis of Parkinson’s syndrome. There are still doubts ensuing from the vaguely defined diagnostic criteria. Concurrent parkinsonism and vascular brain disease vascular brain disease (VBD) may involve: 1. in case of symptoms typical for idiopathic Parkinson’s disease a coincidence with VBD is involved; 2. vascular parkinsonism is beyond doubt when hemiparkinsonism is associated with a vas- cular attack affecting the contralateral basal ganglia; 3. in case of atypical parkinsonian symptoms it is possible that in a small percentage vascular parkinsonism is involved; 4. impaired gait of the lower parkinsonism type etc. is due in particular to pathology of the frontal lobes.

        Key words: vascular parkinsonism, neuroimaging, neuropathological studies, cerebral ischaemia, stroke