| ■ Uric Acid May Boost Mini-Stroke Risk | 2007.10.09 |
| High levels of uric acid -- which causes gout -- may increase the risk of mini-strokes that can cause mental decline in older adults, says a Johns Hopkins University study in the journal Neurology. Researchers found that people over age 60 with elevated uric acid levels had up to five times more volume of brain areas showing evidence of mini-stroke than those with average or low uric acid levels, BBC News reported. Previously, the same team found an association between elevated uric acid levels and poor performance on tests of memory and speed of thought. "Having found that uric acid levels are linked to both mild cognitive decline and mini-strokes we need to learn how these are related," said lead researcher Dr. David Schretlen. |