Stroke Archive

Vascular dementia, which results from brain cell damage due to reduced blood flow, can cause slowed thinking, confusion, and other cognitive changes. Carefully controlling risk factors for cardiovascular disease may help prevent vascular dementia.

Men without evidence of low testosterone levels (hypogonadism) who use testosterone appear to face a higher risk of serious cardiovascular problems and death from all causes than men who use testosterone replacement therapy for documented hypogonadism, according to a 2026 study.

Physical activity, even as little as 15 minutes a day of moderate-intensity exercise, is linked with a lower risk of stroke and death in people with atrial fibrillation.

Several factors increase the risk for complications from COVID-19 or influenza and should prompt someone to request an antiviral medication as soon as possible, even if they have been vaccinated or have had the infections before. The risk factors are age (being 65 or older), an impaired immune system, and underlying conditions (especially heart or lung disease). Pregnant women also are at increased risk for severe influenza and COVID, and should consider taking an antiviral.

Symptoms of atrial fibrillation include a fluttering, pounding sensation in the chest and a lightheaded, dizzy, or breathless feeling. But about a quarter of people with this disorder don’t notice any symptoms.

A 2026 study found that older “super-movers”—adults 80 and older who walk significantly faster than their peers—were substantially less likely than slower walkers to develop cognitive impairment and had larger memory-related brain regions, suggesting that brisk walking speed may signal, or even support, healthier brain aging.

Head or neck trauma can sometimes damage key arteries supplying the brain. Find out how this rare injury might trigger a stroke in younger adults.

Many older adults feel they can’t keep up with the deluge of apps, texts, emails, patient portals, social media, and video calls that are now part of everyday life. Age-related brain changes can make digital overload more challenging, and too much screen time can affect physical and mental health.

People who aggressively lower their high blood pressure not only help their heart health, but also may protect their brains from cognitive decline in the process, according to a 2025 study.