Psychological stress has been found to significantly increase the risk of stroke in young women, even in the absence of known predisposing factors, according to a major international study led by HUS Helsinki University Hospital. Interestingly, this association was not observed in men. Strokes among individuals under the age of 50 are becoming more common, with many cases classified as cryptogenic—meaning the cause remains unknown. In fact, up to half of young stroke patients fall into this category. The SECRETO study analyzed 426 individuals under 50 who had recently suffered a cryptogenic stroke and compared them to 426 age-matched control subjects. The participants were recruited from 19 hospitals across Europe, and researchers gathered extensive information on their medical histories, lifestyles, and family backgrounds to better understand the underlying factors contributing to these unexplained strokes.
“Stress doesn’t just weigh on the mind—it raises the risk of stroke in young women.”
Study Links Sustained Psychological Stress to Increased Stroke Risk in Young Women
A groundbreaking international study has revealed a significant connection between sustained psychological stress and an increased risk of stroke in young women aged 18 to 49. The research, led by HUS Helsinki University Hospital and published in the journal Neurology, is the largest international effort to date to examine this link. Using a validated questionnaire, researchers measured participants’ stress levels across various areas of life during the month preceding their stroke. The same questionnaire was given to a control group of age-matched individuals with no history of stroke. The results showed a clear association between high stress levels and stroke risk—an association observed only in women. “This difference between young women and men may be due to the fact that women often juggle multiple responsibilities in life, leading to higher stress levels,” explained Shakar Kutal, doctoral researcher and first author of the study.
Importantly, psychological stress is a modifiable risk factor. This means that targeted lifestyle changes—such as stress management, mental health support, and work-life balance strategies—could help reduce the stroke risk in young women. The study is part of the larger SECRETO project (Searching for Explanations for Cryptogenic Stroke in the Young: Revealing the Etiology, Triggers, and Outcome), an international multicenter effort to understand the causes of cryptogenic strokes—strokes with no clear origin—in young adults. Up to 50% of strokes in individuals under 50 fall into this cryptogenic category, underscoring the urgency of identifying hidden risk factors like psychological stress.
A stroke at a young age can have life-altering consequences, impacting a person’s education, career, and daily life for decades. Researchers emphasize the need for further investigation into the mechanisms linking stress to stroke in order to develop better prevention and treatment strategies for at-risk young women.
