ZimbabweLow Cognitive Scores Linked To Higher Stroke Risk
Adults in their 60s with low cognition scores had up to 86% higher stroke risk, a Swedish study found. The link between cognitive performance and future stroke risk may vary across older age groups.
Global Newsflix 2 min read
A longitudinal study of nearly 5,000 adults in Sweden found that lower scores on tests of thinking, memory, and processing speed in adults in their sixties are associated with a higher risk for a first stroke years later.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that adults aged 60-69 years who had the lowest scores for global cognition, episodic memory, and perceptual speed had a 66%-86% higher risk for stroke than those with the highest cognitive scores.
Lead investigator Alice Askemyr said that cognitive testing might be an important screening tool for future cerebrovascular events for this age group. The study's results were independent of behavioral, psychological, and physiological factors.
The study used data from the Good Aging in Skåne study, a population-based prospective cohort of adults randomly selected from five municipalities in southern Sweden. The mean follow-up was 12.3 years, with assessments in 2001, 2007, or 2012 and followed through the end of 2023 or until the first stroke or death.
Participants completed standard tests of memory, perceptual speed, word fluency, and a combined measure of working memory and mental flexibility. The team combined all the tests into one overall score, then split each age group into thirds by score.
Over an average of 12.3 years, 572 of the 4,912 participants had a first stroke. The team compared the lowest-scoring third with the highest-scoring third on each measure, adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking, drinking, exercise, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease.
The study found that low memory and thinking scores in adults in their 60s were tied to up to 86% higher stroke risk. The link between cognitive performance and future stroke risk may vary across older age groups, with the association being strongest in adults aged 60-69 years.
Key facts
- Lower cognitive scores in adults in their 60s are associated with a higher risk for a first stroke years later.
- The study found a 66%-86% higher risk for stroke in adults with the lowest cognitive scores.
- Cognitive testing might be an important screening tool for future cerebrovascular events for this age group.
- The study used data from the Good Aging in Skåne study, a population-based prospective cohort of adults in Sweden.
Three perspectives
Neutral
The study's findings suggest that cognitive testing may be a useful tool for identifying adults at risk of stroke. However, more research is needed to confirm the results and understand the underlying mechanisms. The study's results have implications for the prevention and treatment of stroke in older adults.
Positive
The study's findings highlight the importance of cognitive health in older adults and the potential for early intervention to prevent stroke. The use of cognitive testing as a screening tool could help identify adults at risk and allow for targeted interventions to reduce their risk of stroke.
Negative
The study's results are limited by the fact that the association between cognitive performance and stroke risk may vary across older age groups. Additionally, the study did not investigate the underlying mechanisms by which cognitive impairment increases the risk of stroke, which is an important area for further research.
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