University of Cincinnati
09/28/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/28/2026 17:42
Stroke rates nearly double in younger adults
Stroke rates nearly double in younger adults
National media highlights UC-led study
2 minute read September 28, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print Story Like
National media including CNN, Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report highlighted new research from University of Cincinnati experts that found strokes among adults ages 20 to 54 nearly doubled over almost three decades, even as short-term survival after stroke improved.
The research was published Sept. 23, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
"While stroke has traditionally been considered a disease of older adults, our findings show that stroke is becoming increasingly common in younger adults," said study author Emily R. Fisher, MD, a vascular neurology fellow in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine in UC's College of Medicine. "At the same time, more people are surviving these strokes, which means more younger adults may be living with the long-term effects of stroke."
"Knowing that this is possible - that stroke doesn't just happen in older people, that it can happen in younger people - and that there are ways in which we can try our best to prevent this is really an important takeaway," study coauthor David Robinson, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine in UC's College of Medicine, told CNN.
Read the U.S. News & World Report article.
Read the Spectrum News article.
Featured photo at top of a woman talking with her doctor. Photo/Courtney Hale/iStock Photo.
Remember how to identify a stroke
Because of the quick onset of stroke, it is important to know the FAST mnemonic device that details the most common signs of stroke and how to respond:
- F: Facial drooping
- A: Arm or leg drop, or weakness in the arm or leg
- S: Speech issues, such as slurred speech or an inability to get your words out
- T: Time is of the essence; call 911 immediately
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