Subscribe for free email updates . Click here to sign up, or log in . Luke's Medical Center, Chicago may discover the reason why some people become demented after experiencing a stroke and others do not. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and is a leading cause of disability. About 750,000 people in the U.S. suffer a stroke each year.
Most strokes occur when a blood clot blocks an artery that carries oxygenated blood to the brain.
A new technology using quantitative MRI analysis as well as diffusion tensor imaging will help identify risk markers in the brain. Looking at special MRIs of these areas, Rush scientists will be able to tell whether these two key areas of the brain were deteriorating before the stroke occurred, providing a key glimpse into possible risk factors for stroke. If the deterioration in the hippocampus or entorhinal cortex was present before stroke, it may serve as a warning sign that individuals are at greater risk for post-stroke dementia and Alzheimer's or other cognitive disorders. Luke's Medical Center and principal investigator for the study. We may find that risk factors for diseases like stroke are also risk factors for Alzheimer's and be able to design preventive strategies for both.