Essential
- In a study, 13.9 % of participants said their parents had divorced before they were 18 years old.
- The latter have 61 % additional risks to be victims of a stroke.
- The authors suggest that biological and social factors, especially stress, would be involved.
“Although cohorts have examined the association between negative experiences experienced during childhood and chronic health problems, including cerebral vascular accidents, few research has examined the association between parents’ divorce and vascular accidents cerebral in adults with no history of mistreatment during childhood. “ This is what researchers from the universities of Toronto, Tyndale and Texas have written in Arlington in a study published in the journal Plos One.
61 % risk of a stroke in adults whose parents have divorced during their childhood
As part of a study, the latter therefore looked into the subject. They used data based on the population of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System of 2022. A sample of 13,205 adults aged 65 and over, including 56.6 % of women, never having suffered physical or sexual abuse during Their childhood was followed. In total, 7.3 % said they had undergone a stroke, while 13.9 % said their parents had divorced before the volunteer was 18 years old.
After taking into account several factors known associated with strokes, including smoking, physical inactivity, low income and education, diabetes, depression and lack of social support, the authors noted that Divorced parents’ participants had 61 % additional risks to be victims of a stroke. The strong association noted between the parents’ divorce and the stroke is of a magnitude similar to two other risk factors for a well -established stroke: diabetes and depression.
-Forms of adversity in childhood have not been significantly linked to cerebral accidents, in particular psychological violence, neglect, mental illnesses and drug addiction within the home or exposure to domestic violence of the domestic violence of the domestic violence of parents.
“From a organic point of view, the separation of parents could lead to high levels of stress hormones”
If the reasons for the link between parents’ divorce and the stroke are not clear, scientists are advancing the hypothesis that biological and social factors could come into play. “From a biological point of view, the separation of parents during childhood could lead to high and supported levels of stress hormones. The fact of experiencing it during childhood could have lasting influences on the brain in development and the ability of the child to respond to stress “, explained Esme Fuller-Thomson, who participated in the work. “Potentially moderating variables have also been assumed, notably poverty during childhood, sleep hygiene and hypertension”, Can we read in the results.
In the conclusions, the team emphasizes that a causal link cannot be established, because they have relied on surveys. “If future research finds associations similar links between parents’ divorce and brain vascular accidents, it is possible that their patients grew up or not in a ‘intact’ family is used by health professionals for Improve targeted awareness of the prevention of brain vascular accidents and education “, concluded Mary Kate Schilke, study co-author.
