Exercise and Stroke

In a previous post, I talked about evidence that exercise can ward off dementia.  Now a study discussed at Science Daily shows new findings in the relationship between exercise and stroke. Stroke is often causes by an ischemic event (lack of blood flow) in the brain, mostly due to a blood clot or atherosclerosis.  In essence, stroke is a caused by unhealthy blood vessels.  We've known for years that just as in heart disease, diet and exercise also go a long way in preventing stroke.

In this new study, the severity of the stroke in the exercisers and non-exercisers was similar, but those who exercised on a regular basis recovered much quicker.  These results are interesting because it shows that exercise could potentially be neuroprotective, and therefore, the brain is in much better shape to recover from a temporary lapse in blood flow.  So even if your exercise routine doesn't prevent the stroke, your chances of recovering seem much better.