Memory lapses may signal stroke risk in well educated people

People with memory problems who have a university education could be at greater risk of a stroke, BBC News reports, citing research from the Netherlands.

In a study published in Stroke, they were found to have a 39% greater risk of stroke compared with those with a lower level of education.


This could be because their early defences against cognitive decline have been eroded.


Around 9,000 people in Rotterdam were tracked over 20 years.


They were all healthy and aged 55 and over. In a questionnaire, participants were asked if they had any issues with their memory.


In people with a high level of education, it takes longer for the brain to be damaged and for dementia to occur”
By 2012, 1,134 strokes had occurred among the study group.


After analysing the results, researchers from Erasmus University Rotterdam found an increased risk of stroke in people who had earlier complained of memory lapses.


But the risk of stroke was even higher if participants had a high level of education, defined as higher vocational education or university training.