Stroke Can Age Your Brain By About 8 Years

Stroke is the leading cause of death in the United States, with many suffering from a long-term disability following the onset of the health issue. Yet new findings published in the journal Stroke show that for many survivors, it can age the brain by up to 8 years or more.

For the study, researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed national data from over 4,900 black and white Americans aged 65 and older who underwent memory tests and thinking sweet between 1998 and 2012.

The findings highlighted the importance of stroke prevention and the similar effect the issue had on the brain, regardless of race.

"As we search for the key drivers of the known disparities in cognitive [mental] decline between blacks and whites, we focus here on the role of 'health shocks' such as stroke," study author Dr. Deborah Levine, an assistant professor in the University of Michigan medical school, said in a university news release. "Although we found that stroke does not explain the difference, 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."

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