Overview
- A peer‑reviewed analysis published Sept. 30, 2026 used data from the Good Aging in Skåne cohort to follow 4,912 Swedish adults for an average of 12.3 years and recorded 572 first‑time strokes.
- Among people aged 60–69, those with the lowest composite scores had an 86% higher risk for first‑time stroke, with memory scores tied to a 68% higher risk and processing‑speed scores to a 66% higher risk.
- The association was specific to the 60–69 age group and disappeared for people aged 70–79 and 80+ after adjusting for health and lifestyle factors, which authors say may reflect undetected “silent” brain injuries in younger participants.
- Researchers emphasize the study is observational and cannot prove that poor test performance causes stroke, so using cognitive tests as routine screening is tentative and requires more validation.
- Clinicians and experts urge aggressive midlife control of vascular risks — for example blood pressure, weight, diet, activity, sleep and smoking — as the practical step while further studies test screening value and generalizability.