Experiencing trauma could put you at a higher risk of dementia and stroke

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-01-29 03:00

International

Photo by Steven HWG on Unsplash. Story by Rachel McDonald, Australian Science Media Centre

People who experience traumatic events in childhood or adulthood may face a higher risk of developing dementia or having a stroke later in life, according to research in China. The team compared the life experiences of over 11,000 Chinese adults in middle to old age, and looked at dementia diagnoses and strokes over nearly five years. The researchers say experiencing traumatic events in both childhood and adulthood was linked to an especially increased risk of both dementia and stroke, and the links to both conditions could be partially explained by depression.

News release

From: JAMA

Life-Course Psychosocial Stress and Risk of Dementia and Stroke in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

About The Study: In this cohort study, exposure to adverse experiences throughout life was associated with increased risks of dementia and stroke, with depression mediating these associations. These findings highlight the importance of implementing life-course interventions that address both psychological trauma and mental health to reduce the burden of neurovascular diseases.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China

Funder: This research was supported by the Major Medical Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province (grant No. WKJ-ZJ-2537 to Dr Liu) and the Key Laboratory of Integrated Care for Geriatric Chronic Diseases, Yunnan Provincial Education Department (grant No. 2024HTHLYB05 to Dr Zhao).

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