Stroke Speeds Brain Aging

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of adult disability.   Deborah A. Levine, from the University of Michigan (Michigan, USA), and colleagues analyzed data collected on 4,908 black and white men and women, ages 65 years and older, who were enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study.  The team assessed for changes in global cognition – before and after incident stroke.  Data analysis revealed that having a stroke ages a person's brain function by almost 8 years, as reflected by slower memory and thinking speeds. The lead investigator urges that: “these results show the amount of cognitive aging that stroke brings on, and therefore the importance of stroke prevention to reduce the risk of cognitive decline."