Stroke Cause Rewritten: Tiny Vessels at Fault | Science News

Science News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 3, 2026 · 1m

New research is rewriting the playbook on stroke causes—revealing that damaged brain blood vessels, not artery plaque, are the real culprit behind a common, disabling type of stroke. Standard treatments like aspirin may miss the mark, as the problem lies deeper in the brain’s tiny vessels. Scientists found that widened arteries inside the brain strongly predict lacunar strokes, which are tied to dementia and cognitive decline. Even with current therapies, silent strokes keep happening—demanding a new focus: therapies that directly protect brain vessels. Trials are already testing these…