- A new study proposes a type of blood test for predicting cerebral small blood vessel disease and, thus, the likelihood of a stroke or cognitive decline in the future.
- The insight presented by the study is that people with high levels of five specific molecules in the interleukin-18 network are more likely to experience such events.
- More work is needed to validate the study’s findings.
- While there is currently no cure for cerebral small blood vessel disease, experts suggest heart-healthy practices may help since the vessels are part of the cardiovascular system.
A new study raises the possibility of a blood test that can predict the likelihood of having a stroke or experiencing cognitive decline in the future.
The authors of the study identified a network of inflammatory molecules in the blood that allows the scoring of a person’s risk of developing cerebral small vessel disease, the frequent cause of strokes and cognitive decline.
The development of such a test would be an important step forward. As of now, cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) can best be diagnosed with an MRI, and the risk of stroke and cognitive decline derived from calculations encompassing family history, demographic details, and other risk factors, including lifestyle.
The targets of the study are inflammatory molecules known as the interleukin-18, or IL-18, network that includes proteins and signaling molecules for fighting off infections.
These molecules have been linked to CSVD, and to strokes. However, their levels fluctuate as a result of immune responses to infections as well as autoimmune disorders, making them difficult to measure. In
The new study utilized data from the
The final cohort of individuals represented in the study consisted of 2,201…
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