Researchers say people shouldn't dismiss or ignore ministrokes, tied to risk of cognitive decline
Many people ignore or downplay the sudden symptoms of a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also called a ministroke -- but new research suggests that's a mistake. A large study published in JAMA Neurology by the University of Alabama-Birmingham and University of Cincinnati tracked more than 30,000 adults and found TIA survivors show a cognitive decline over five years that matches the rate seen in stroke survivors, per Scientific American. The decline isn't usually immediate, but over time, and TIAs appear to change a person's cognitive trajectory, possibly leading to increased risk for dementia later. "If you have one stroke or one TIA ... the rate of cognitive decline is the same," says lead author Victor Del Bene.