NEW YORK, April 10 (UPI) -- Columbia University scientists say stroke may be associated with progressive memory difficulties in patients without dementia or cognitive impairment.
Several studies have shown risk factors for vascular disease, such as diabetes and hypertension, are associated with stroke, which in turn may increase the risk for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. However, it remains unclear whether stroke is directly related to cognitive decline in patients without dementia or cognitive impairment.
Dr. Christiane Reitz and colleagues at Columbia studied 1,271 patients with an average age of 76.2 years without dementia or cognitive impairment. Participants underwent an initial interview and evaluation and also took a series of neuropsychological tests to gauge their cognitive abilities. They were then examined at 18-month intervals.
At the beginning of the study, 7.6 percent of patients had a history of stroke. All participants experienced a decline in memory over time, but the decline was more rapid in those patients with a history of stroke. The association was stronger in men and individuals without a particular type of gene known as an APOE-4 allele, which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease in previous research.
The study appears in the journal Neurology.
