About Careers Internship MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Working Before and After Stroke Contributes to a Healthier Brain

by Anjali Aryamvally on January 26, 2018 at 11:41 AM
Working Before and After Stroke Contributes to a Healthier Brain

Adult stroke patients who are employed before and after suffering strokes are more likely to have healthier minds two years post stroke than unemployed adults, shows preliminary study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2018.

"Studies have shown stroke greatly increases dementia risk, and occupational status might influence how stroke survivors fare years after having a stroke," said study author Einor Ben Assayag, Ph.D., senior researcher in the neurology department at Tel-Aviv Sorasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel. "We looked at how occupational status, brain health and cognitive decline might be interrelated after stroke."

Advertisement


Ben Assayag and colleagues studied 252 working-age adult stroke survivors from the TABASCO study. They analyzed brain health early on after stroke, as well as cognitive changes, at one year and two years after stroke. "A novel aspect of this study was we also studied the association of inflammation with occupational status and cognitive changes after stroke," she said.

They found:

• People who were unemployed before stroke were more than three times (320 percent) more likely than those who were employed to develop cognitive decline within two years from the initial stroke.
Advertisement

• In addition to having lower cognitive results post-stroke, those who were unemployed before stroke were more likely to have worse neurological deficit, higher depression scores and more elevated inflammation.

• Adults who weren't working before having a stroke were more likely to have unhealthy brain changes defined as reduced cortical thickness and white matter volume on imaging studies.

• Those who were unemployed prior to stroke were more likely to have type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

• During the two years of the study, 4.4 percent of participants died and 8.9 percent developed cognitive decline.

• Returning to work after stroke was associated with lower cognitive decline risk.

"The message here is 'keep on working,'" Ben Assayag said. "Rates of death and cognitive decline were higher among the unemployed people we studied. In fact, being unemployed was by itself a risk factor for cognitive decline and death."

A limitation of the study is that it included only mild stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients, and not people with more severe strokes.



Source: Eurekalert
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Readings

Latest Research News

Brain Circuits That Shape Bedtime Rituals in Mice
New study sheds light on the intrinsic, yet often overlooked, role of sleep preparation as a hardwired survival strategy.
NELL-1 Protein Aids to Reduce Bone Loss in Astronauts
Microgravity-induced bone loss in space, can be reduced by systemic delivery of NELL-1, a protein required for bone growth and its maintenance.
Connecting Genetic Variants to the Alzheimer's Puzzle
Researchers establish connections between Alzheimer's-linked genetic alterations and the functioning of brain cells.
Gene Therapy Sparks Spinal Cord Regeneration
Team at NeuroRestore introduces a groundbreaking gene therapy that has effectively promoted nerve regrowth and reconnection, post spinal cord injury.
Unlocking the Gut Microbiome's Influence on Bone Density
Scientists aim to pinpoint particular functional pathways affected by these bacteria that may have an impact on skeletal health.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
MediBotMediBot
Greetings! How can I assist you?MediBot
×

Working Before and After Stroke Contributes to a Healthier Brain Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests