Stroke in young adults

What is a stroke?

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, causing the death of brain cells and dysfunction in one or more parts of the brain.

The restricted blood supply can be the result of an artery becoming blocked, a blood vessel rupturing causing a bleed inside the brain, or a brief reduction in the blood supply to the brain.

It is a major health problem that can have life-changing consequences. While people over the age of 65 are more likely to have a stroke, around a quarter of strokes happen in young people of working age.

In fact, in recent decades, there has been a reported upswing in the number of new cases of young stroke in high-income countries. Traditionally, researchers have believed that classic vascular risk factors, like high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, could play a minor role in young stroke. However, emerging evidence is starting to contradict this view.

Why is more research needed?

As evidence points to a growing issue of stroke in young adults, there is a pressing need to better understand the causes of different stroke types in young patients, the associated risk factors, and its longer-term effects on survivors.

We know that stroke in young adults can have a huge impact, leading to reduced life expectancy, long-term disability, and an increased risk of dementia in later life.

Still, there are many gaps in researchers’ knowledge, from understanding the changes in the brain that occur following a stroke, to the possible causes of unexplained stroke in young adults.

We’re funding vital new research in this field to improve awareness and knowledge around young stroke. These projects are exploring: common infections that alter pathways linking blood clotting and inflammation; the role of modifiable vascular risk factors in young patients with stroke; and possible genetic causes of stroke in young adults.

Investment in this field is needed to lessen the longer-term effects in young stroke survivors, and to design new treatments to help prevent strokes occurring in young at-risk adults.