Adults in their 60s who perform poorly on tests of overall thinking ability, memory, and information-processing speed face a significantly higher risk of stroke later in life, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study, conducted in Sweden and reported by NEWMEDIAWIRE, examined nearly 5,000 older adults and found that those with the lowest cognitive scores were up to 86% more likely to suffer a first-time stroke over an average 12-year follow-up.
The research, part of the Good Aging in Skane project, included 4,912 participants aged 60 to 80+ with no history of dementia, stroke, or transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke) at enrollment. They completed standardized tests measuring memory, processing speed, verbal fluency, and executive function. During the follow-up, which spanned 2001 to 2023, 572 participants experienced a first stroke. Among those aged 60-69, lower overall thinking ability was linked to an 86% higher stroke risk, lower memory scores to a 68% higher risk, and slower processing speed to a 66% higher risk. Notably, these associations were not observed in participants aged 70-79 or 80 and older after adjusting for other health and lifestyle factors.
Lead author Alice Askemyr, M.D., a geriatrics researcher at Lund University and Skane University Hospital, explained that the older population is diverse, and risk factors may differ by age. She suggested that poor cognitive performance in the 60s could indicate undetected brain injuries, which are more common after age 70 but may be easier to detect earlier. “So-called ‘silent’ brain injuries can affect both cognitive functioning and the future risk of stroke,” she said.
Elisabeth Breese Marsh, M.D., FAHA, chair of the 2026 American Heart Association Scientific Statement, Brain Health Across the Life Span: A Framework for Future Studies, emphasized that risk factor modification should begin even earlier. “This study, in conjunction with others, supports how important it is to be aggressive in managing vascular risk factors and focusing on brain health in midlife,” Marsh said. She noted that the findings provide a potential new screening factor for stroke risk, though the observational study cannot prove cause and effect.
The implications are significant for public health: simple cognitive tests in midlife could serve as an inexpensive tool to identify individuals at higher risk, prompting earlier interventions. According to the American Stroke Association, lifestyle and environment can affect brain health and cognition over time, reinforcing the need for proactive management of conditions like hypertension and diabetes. The study’s limitations include its observational design and potential lack of generalizability to other countries.
For readers, the message is clear: paying attention to brain health in your 60s—and even earlier—may help reduce the risk of stroke later in life. As Marsh advised, “even people in their 40s and 50s need to be focusing on risk factor modification and habits for good overall brain health.” The full manuscript is available online, and additional resources on stroke prevention can be found through the American Stroke Association’s Stroke Risk Factors page.
