Researchers at Uppsala University Hospital and Uppsala University in Sweden have advanced a blood test that gauges brain health to forecast stroke risk. The findings were shared in Circulation, a leading medical journal.
In the investigation, scientists measured the levels of neurofilament proteins in blood samples from more than 3,000 volunteers diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Neurofilaments are the structural components inside nerve cells; when the brain experiences injury or oxygen deprivation, these proteins leak into the bloodstream and can be detected there.
Participants were followed for a year and a half, during which researchers tracked health outcomes. The analysis showed that individuals with elevated neurofilament levels faced roughly a threefold increase in stroke risk compared with those whose neurofilament levels were lower.
Researchers say that assessing neurofilament concentrations, alongside efforts to identify additional blood biomarkers linked to heart failure, could markedly sharpen stroke risk prediction. The test holds particular promise for people with atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disturbance that independently raises stroke risk and is a common factor in many patients diagnosed with a heart condition.
Future work will explore how different treatments influence neurofilament levels and whether those changes translate into lower risks of stroke and death.
Earlier notes mentioned symptoms associated with micro strokes.
Source: Circulation.