High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or heart disease are some of the risk factors for stroke or stroke. Now, a new study adds that deterioration of the brain may increase the risk of stroke in adults over 65 .
The study, developed by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago (USA) and published in the journal Stroke , analyzed data on the cognitive functioning of 7,217 people aged 65 and over in order to find out if brain function influenced at the risk of stroke and not the other way around. Thus, the participants were monitored every 3 years by performing various cognitive tests , which included short and long-term memory, awareness and attention. Likewise, they were also monitored when there were incidences of cerebrovascular accidents.
The researchers found that people who had scored lower on tests – before having a stroke – had a 61% higher risk of stroke than those who had scored higher .
According to Kumar Rajan, leader of the study, stroke in the elderly can be caused by poor cognitive function and that stroke or stroke can also accelerate deterioration: “Low cognitive function is generally associated with poor neurological health and neurological function. cerebral. The worsening of neurological health can lead to various health problems ; stroke is one of them. From a care point of view, cognitive impairment is not only a strong marker of neurological and physical health impairment in older adults, it also serves as a marker for stroke in old age ”.
