It took the study twenty years to track nine thousand people who were either fifty five or older. It was a questionnaire based study that questioned the participants on the memory loss they have been experiencing. Out of the people who were tracked 1,134 already had suffered a stroke.
The point of the study was to show the opposite relation between stroke and memory lapses. It has long been known that strokes are associated with memory loss. The theory of the study was to show the opposite that is memory loss is associated with a higher risk of stroke.
Stroke is also referred to as cerebrovascular accident or insult, commonly called as brain attack. It is basically loss of brain function because of compromised blood supply to the brain. Decrease blood supply to a tissue is called ischemia. Ischemia may be either because of a clot, a loose part of a clot called embolism or decreased blood flow.
In the year 2011 stroke accounted for second most number of deaths worldwide.
The data collected from the research when analyzed showed that people who were at a higher risk of developing a stroke complained of having memory lapses.
The third association that was extracted from the data collected was the level of education. People who complained of memory lapses and also had a higher level of education faced even a higher risk of developing a stroke. The increased risk was about 39% more. The research made its appearance in the American Heart Association Journal “Stroke”.
The team of researchers of the study claims that the issue needs further analysis and research. The next assessment and analysis the team wants to make would be into the subjects who repeatedly complain of memory lapses or other memory related changed and that if they should be considered targets for risk of stroke. Furthermore the same group of people may also be analysed for steps taken in the way of prevention of stroke.
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