Women with a higher McCance Brain Care-Score (BCS)-A score that measures physical, lifestyle and social-emotional factors a lower risk of experiencing a stroke or other cerebrovascular event that reduces blood flow to the brain, according to a new study conducted by experts from massive Brigham. The results are published in Neurology, The Medical Journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Our findings underline that the McCance Brain Care score is a valuable tool for predicting the risk of cerebrovascular events in women, for whom stroke remains a major cause of death. Our study also emphasizes the need for broader, long -term research into different populations and to investigate how changes in lifetime scores influence the risk of stroke and related events. “
Nirupama Yechoor, MD, MSC, senior author of the Neurology department of Massachusetts General Hospital
One in five women between 55 and 75 in the United States is expected to experience a stroke. Earlier research has shown that the McCance Brain Care score can predict the risk of stranding, dementia and depression in a general population. Ranging from 0 to 21 points, the BCS contains 12 changeable risk factors, including physical components (blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels and body mass index [BMI]), Lifestyle factors (alcohol intake, diet, smoking, physical activity and sleep) and social-emotional factors (social relationships, stress and sense of meaning in life).
Together with main author Devanshi Choksi, MBBS, MPH, a researcher from the Neurology department at MGH, Yechoor and colleagues have polished data from 21,271 women with a median age of 57.9 of the Women’s Health Study Study under Brighthe and Mijlpaal HespitaTe Under Lady Study, Women’s Clever’s Study Homen’s Hospital Or Aspirin and Vitamin Es on Women. Using data collected from the WHS, calculated BCs for women and used follow-up data to compare scores and cerebrovascular event incidence.
They discovered that a higher score correlated with a reduced risk of cerebrovascular events during someone’s life. In a median 22.4 years of follow-up, 6.1 percent of the participants had experienced a cerebrovascular event (stroke or temporary ischemic attack). Those with a five-point higher baseline BCs (the average baseline score was 15) were 37 percent less likely to experience a cerebrovascular event after correction for age, menopausal status, use of hormonal replacement therapy and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
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Journal Reference:
Choksi, D., et al .. (2025). The use of the brain care score to estimate the risk of cerebrovascular events of incidents in middle -aged women. Neurology. doi.org/10.1212/WNL.000000000000213674.