Stroke Doubles Dementia Risk, Concludes Large-Scale Study

A study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association reports that a stroke raises the odds of developing dementia about twofold, according to EurekAlert . The researchers analyzed data on stroke and dementia risk from 3.2 million people worldwide. They reviewed 36 studies where participants had a history of stroke, totaling data from 1.9 million people, as well as 12 additional studies that looked at whether participants had a recent stroke over the study period, adding another 1.3 million people. "We found that a history of stroke increases dementia risk by around 70 percent, and recent strokes more than doubled the risk," says the University of Exeter Medical School's Ilianna Lourida. "Given how common both stroke and dementia are, this strong link is an important finding. Improvements in stroke prevention and post-stroke care may therefore play a key role in dementia prevention." Stroke traits such as the location and extent of brain damage may help to explain variation in dementia risk between studies, and there were implications that dementia risk may be higher for men after stroke. Further research is needed to clarify whether ethnicity and education alter dementia risk following stroke. Also required is further research concerning whether differences in post-stroke care and lifestyle can reduce the risk of dementia even more.