Ischemic stroke

1. Ischemic stroke is linked with worse executive function in humans (moderate to severe stroke vs no stroke) (-0.52 vs -0.33 points per year).

   “executive function (ranging from a mean -0.33 [95% CI, -0.34 to -0.32] points per year for no stroke to -0.52 [95% CI, -0.66 to -0.39] points per year for moderate to severe stroke).”

   Humansmoderate to severe stroke vs no strokemedian 11.1 yearsn = 42,342

   Ischemic Stroke Incidence and Severity and Poststroke Cognitive Decline and Incident Dementia

   JAMA network open·Apr 1, 2026

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1. Ischemic stroke is linked with worse memory in humans (moderate to severe stroke vs no stroke) (-0.36 vs -0.15 points per year).

   “ranging from a mean -0.15 [95% CI, -0.16 to -0.14] points per year for no stroke to -0.36 [95% CI, -0.51 to -0.21] points per year for moderate to severe stroke”

   Humansmoderate to severe stroke vs no strokemedian 11.1 yearsn = 42,342

   Ischemic Stroke Incidence and Severity and Poststroke Cognitive Decline and Incident Dementia

   JAMA network open·Apr 1, 2026

More on Memory

1. Ischemic stroke is linked with worse global cognition in humans (moderate to severe stroke vs no stroke) (-0.58 vs -0.18 points per year).

   “higher stroke severity was associated with progressively steeper cognitive declines across all domains, with more prevalent dose-response associations for global cognition”

   Humansmoderate to severe stroke vs no strokemedian 11.1 yearsn = 42,342

   Ischemic Stroke Incidence and Severity and Poststroke Cognitive Decline and Incident Dementia

   JAMA network open·Apr 1, 2026

More on Global cognition

1. Ischemic stroke decreases bacterial phagocytosis (poststroke).

   “bacterial phagocytosis by neutrophils in the lung microvasculature was reduced by both aging and stroke, such that neutrophils in aged poststroke mice showed the greatest impairment in this function.”

   Animalspoststrokelung

   Lung Imaging Reveals Stroke-Induced Impairment in Pulmonary Intravascular Neutrophil Function, a Response Exacerbated with Aging

   Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)·Apr 1, 2022

1. Ischemic stroke activates type I interferon signaling in mice following stroke in aged mice.

   “increased activation of type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling following stroke in aged mice”

   Animalsfollowing stroke in aged micebrain

   Decoding the Transcriptional Response to Ischemic Stroke in Young and Aged Mouse Brain

   Cell reports·Jun 16, 2020

More on Type I interferon signaling

1. Ischemic stroke decreases axonal and synaptic maintenance in aged mice following stroke.

   “We uncover downregulation of axonal and synaptic maintenance genetic program”

   Animalsin aged mice following strokebrain

   Decoding the Transcriptional Response to Ischemic Stroke in Young and Aged Mouse Brain

   Cell reports·Jun 16, 2020

1. Ischemic stroke is linked with a higher risk of dementia in humans (moderate to severe stroke (NIHSS >= 11)) (HR 5.06, 95% CI 2.71-9.45).

   “adjusted hazard ratios for incident dementia were 1.93 (95% CI, 1.52-2.45) for NIHSS 0 to 5, 3.26 (95% CI, 1.93-5.53) for NIHSS 6 to 10, and 5.06 (95% CI, 2.71-9.45) for NIHSS 11 or higher.”

   Humansmoderate to severe stroke (NIHSS >= 11)median 11.1 yearsn = 42,342

   Ischemic Stroke Incidence and Severity and Poststroke Cognitive Decline and Incident Dementia

   JAMA network open·Apr 1, 2026

More on Dementia

1. Ischemic stroke raises the risk of bacterial infection after stroke.

   “older (12-15 mo of age) mice had elevated lung bacterial infection and inflammatory damage after stroke when compared with young (8-10 wk of age) counterparts”

   Animalsafter strokelung

   Lung Imaging Reveals Stroke-Induced Impairment in Pulmonary Intravascular Neutrophil Function, a Response Exacerbated with Aging

   Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)·Apr 1, 2022

More on Bacterial infection