When someone has a stroke, their chance of developing dementia within the next year could go up by three times, a recent study suggests.
This risk does decrease after the first year but can stay higher for as long as twenty years.
This study, still awaiting a more detailed review, will be discussed at a major stroke conference in Phoenix soon.
The study’s lead, Dr. Raed Joundi from McMaster University in Canada, emphasizes that people who have had a stroke are more likely to get dementia.
Considering that every year, about 610,000 individuals in the U.S. experience their first stroke and 185,000 have another one, this finding is significant.
Dementia is already a common issue, with around 7 million Americans over 65 affected in 2014, a number that might double by 2060.
The researchers looked into the dementia risk after a stroke by examining hospital records and pharmacy data in Ontario.
They focused on nearly 181,000 individuals who had a stroke, either because of a clot blocking blood flow to the brain or bleeding within the brain.
These individuals were compared to two other groups: people who hadn’t had a stroke or heart attack and those who had experienced a heart attack but no stroke. They then observed how many in each group developed dementia over up to twenty years.
The findings were eye-opening. Nearly 19% of stroke patients were diagnosed with dementia in the years following their stroke, which is much higher compared to those who hadn’t had a stroke.
Specifically, people who had a stroke were 80% more likely to get dementia, and this risk increased to 150% if the stroke was caused by bleeding in the brain.
Even when compared to individuals who had a heart attack, the risk for stroke survivors was significantly higher.
The first year after a stroke is the most critical, with the risk of dementia nearly tripling compared to those without a stroke.
Although this risk decreases over time, it remains higher for up to two decades. Interestingly, the study found that stroke survivors are more at risk of dementia than having another stroke.
Dr. Joundi points out that strokes damage the brain, affecting areas important for thinking, memory, and daily functioning.
This damage can lead to a faster cognitive decline, similar to what happens in neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, having another stroke can increase the risk of dementia even more.
In light of these findings, there’s a push for more careful observation of stroke survivors for any signs of cognitive decline. This includes early screening and a team-based approach to support those showing symptoms.
Dr. Joundi calls for further research to understand why dementia develops in some stroke survivors but not in others.
This study highlights the need for ongoing monitoring and intervention for stroke survivors, emphasizing lifestyle changes like quitting smoking and exercising more, which can not only improve overall health but may also lower the risk of dementia.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about inflammation that may actually slow down cognitive decline in older people, and low vitamin D may speed up cognitive decline.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about common exercises that could protect against cognitive decline, and results showing that this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
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