Vascular disease affects the blood vessels in the brain, says DeCarli. It sets you up for some cognitive impairment. It reinforces the genetic risk for brain injury related to hypertension and vascular disease as you age. Having apoE-4, therefore, may increase one s chances of a poor outcome following any brain injury. In silent strokes, people don t have any of the classic warning signs such as sudden headaches, dizziness or loss of motor skills.
Silent strokes occur when smaller blood vessels in the brain are blocked or rupture.
Silent strokes aren t as damaging, at least initially, as strokes that occur when the carotid arteries in the neck are blocked or burst. But silent strokes do take their toll over time. When the smaller vessels are unable to deliver oxygen and blood to the brain, cells die. Over time, brain cells that control functions such as memory and motor skills die off, leading to difficulty in memory, concentration and even walking. Men who did not have the gene variant had 3.3 cubic centimeters of their brains affected by silent stroke.