Cognitive test distinguishes those at greater risk of stroke

February, 2010

A large long-running study has found that Swedish men in their 70s among the bottom 25% on the Trail Making Test B were three times more likely to have a stroke or a brain infarction compared to those in the top 25%.

A long-running study involving 930 70-year-old Swedish men has found that those who were among the bottom 25% on the Trail Making Test B were three times more likely to have a stroke or a brain infarction compared to those in the top 25%. Performance on the Trail Making Test A and the MMSE did not predict brain infarction or stroke. Test B measures the ability to execute and modify a plan, while Test A measures attention and visual-motor abilities, and the MMSE is a standard test of general cognitive decline.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-02/aaon-mfy012710.php

Reference: 

[157] Wiberg, B., Lind L., Kilander L., Zethelius B., Sundelof J. E., & Sundstrom J.
(2010).  Cognitive function and risk of stroke in elderly men.
Neurology. 74(5), 379 - 385.

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