A recent study by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine suggests that people who experience brain bleeds—also known as intracranial hemorrhages—are twice as likely to develop dementia later in life. These findings highlight the need for regular cognitive screenings for patients who have suffered this type of stroke, as early detection could help guide future medical care.
While previous research has mainly focused on ischemic strokes (caused by blood clots blocking the brain’s blood supply) and their link to dementia, this new study—published on January 30 in the journal Stroke—shows that brain bleeds also play a significant role in cognitive decline.
“We consistently see a higher risk of dementia in people who have had a brain bleed, no matter what type it is,” said Dr. Samuel Bruce, the study’s first author and a neurologist at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
He emphasized that these patients should be screened for memory and thinking problems so doctors and families can plan their care accordingly.
The study analyzed Medicare insurance claims from 2008 to 2018, covering nearly 15,000 patients who had experienced different types of brain bleeds.
These bleeds occur when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, leading to blood pooling in brain tissue or under the skull. The researchers focused on cases where the hemorrhage happened spontaneously rather than from a head injury.
Their findings showed that within an average of 5.6 years after the hemorrhage, these patients were twice as likely to be diagnosed with dementia compared to over two million people who had not experienced a brain bleed.
These results support previous studies linking brain bleeds to cognitive problems. For example, a study in Denmark found that 11.5% of people who had a ruptured brain blood vessel later developed dementia—about 2.5 times the risk seen in the general population. In comparison, ischemic strokes caused by blood clots increased dementia risk by about 1.7 times.
Why Do Brain Bleeds Increase Dementia Risk?
Scientists are still investigating why intracranial hemorrhages may lead to dementia. According to Dr. Santosh Murthy, the study’s senior author and a professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, there are a few possible explanations.
One theory is that brain bleeds directly contribute to dementia by triggering the buildup of a protein called amyloid beta in the brain. This protein is linked to Alzheimer’s disease and can interfere with normal brain function.
Another possibility is that both conditions—brain bleeds and dementia—share common risk factors, such as chronic damage to blood vessels in the brain.
“As we continue to learn more about this connection, we need to consider the impact,” said Dr. Murthy. He pointed out that future research should focus on how safe certain Alzheimer’s treatments, such as anti-amyloid beta drugs, are for people who have had a brain hemorrhage.
The Road Ahead
As medical advances allow more people to survive brain hemorrhages, researchers need to understand how these incidents contribute to different types of dementia. This knowledge could help doctors develop better treatments and care strategies for patients at risk.
For now, the findings suggest that anyone who has suffered a brain bleed should receive regular memory and cognitive check-ups. Identifying early signs of dementia could help patients and their families prepare for the future and explore treatment options that may slow down the disease.
If you care about stroke, please read studies that diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk, and MIND diet could slow down cognitive decline after stroke.
For more health information, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce the risk of dementia, and tea and coffee may help lower your risk of stroke, dementia.
The research findings can be found in Stroke.
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