Adults in their 60s who perform poorly on tests of thinking ability, memory, and information-processing speed may face a substantially 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, followed nearly 5,000 adults aged 60 to 80+ for an average of 12 years, none of whom had dementia, a prior stroke, or a transient ischemic attack at the start.
Among participants aged 60-69, lower overall thinking ability was linked to an 86% higher risk of stroke compared with those with the highest scores. Lower memory scores corresponded to a 68% higher risk, and slower information-processing speed to a 66% higher risk. During follow-up, more than 10% of all participants experienced a first-time stroke. However, 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 in Malmo, Sweden, explained that the older population is very diverse, with many in their 80s having multiple medical conditions and medications. She noted that poor cognitive performance in younger participants could signal an undetected brain injury. “So-called ‘silent’ brain injuries can affect both cognitive functioning and the future risk of stroke,” Askemyr said. “They affect roughly 70% of adults over age 70, so their effects may be easier to detect among people in their 60s.”
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, who was not involved in the study, emphasized that risk factor modification should begin even earlier. “My advice would be that even people in their 40s and 50s need to be focusing on risk factor modification and habits for good overall brain health,” Marsh said. She added that the study supports aggressive management of vascular risk factors in midlife and provides a potential new screening factor for stroke risk.
The American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, notes that overall health, lifestyle and environment can affect brain health and cognition over time. The study included 4,912 adults (46% men) enrolled in the Good Aging in Skane project, with data collected from 2001 to 2023. Cognitive function was assessed using standardized tests of memory, processing speed, verbal fluency, and executive function. First-time stroke events were identified from the Swedish National Patient Register.
The research is observational, meaning it found a link but cannot prove cause and effect. Findings may not be generalizable to other countries due to differences in healthcare, socioeconomics, and lifestyle habits. The manuscript is available online after Sept. 30, 2026, at manuscript. Additional resources include the American Heart Association news release Brain health shaped by lifetime mental, physical, environmental and lifestyle factors and the American Stroke Association’s Stroke Risk Factors page. For more information, visit heart.org or stroke.org. The original release is available at www.newmediawire.com.
