You probably know what a memory test is for. Most people hear about them only in the context of dementia or Alzheimer's. For many families, that is where the worry stops.
A new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests those tests may hint at something else.
Among adults in their 60s with no history of stroke or dementia, lower cognitive scores were tied to a sharply higher risk of a first stroke years later.
The study followed 4,912 Swedish adults for an average of 12.3 years. Among those aged 60 to 69 with the weakest overall thinking scores, the risk of a future stroke was 86 percent higher than for those with stronger scores.
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Lower memory scores were linked to a 68 percent higher stroke risk in the same age group. Slower information-processing speed carried a 66 percent higher risk.
After researchers accounted for other health conditions and lifestyle factors, the same pattern did not appear in people aged 70 or older. The signal held only for the 60s.
Why the signal shows up in the 60s
Lead author Alice Askemyr, a geriatrics researcher at Lund University and Skåne University Hospital in Malmö, Sweden, pointed to so-called silent brain injuries.
These are small strokes or vessel damage that often go unnoticed.
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According to the American Heart Association, such injuries affect roughly 70 percent of adults over age 70. Because they are less common in the 60s, their mark on cognition may stand out more clearly in that age group.
Askemyr said people in their 80s often live with many medical conditions and take many medications, which can muddy the cognitive picture.
In the 60s, there is less noise, and a weaker test score may point more directly at the brain's blood vessels.
What this does not mean for you yet
The study is observational. It shows a link, not proof that weaker cognition causes stroke. The authors also note the findings come from a Swedish sample and may not translate directly to people in other countries.
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Still, the finding is a reason to take any noticeable change in memory or thinking speed seriously in your 60s. A conversation with your doctor is a sensible first step.
That visit can cover a baseline cognitive check and the main stroke risk factors, including high blood pressure, cholesterol and atrial fibrillation.
It also helps to know the body's quieter warning signs in the weeks before a stroke, such as brief numbness, blurred vision or a short lapse in speech.
For the acute signs, the CDC lists sudden face droop, arm weakness, slurred speech, confusion, loss of balance, trouble seeing and a sudden severe headache. If you see any of these, call 911 right away.
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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.