A neuroscientist at Memorial University is warning of the lasting impacts that can come from a type of stroke that people may not know they have had.
The signs of a major stroke can be obvious – a drooping face, slurred speech, and the inability to raise one’s arms above their head.
However, Dr. Michelle Ploughman says there is something called a covert stroke, also known as a mini stroke.
She says that it is an area that needs more research, as people might not know that they have even had one.
She says a small blood vessel in the brain may become blocked, but the brain is able to compensate for that and build new connections so that it can carry on. However, when this happens multiple times Ploughman likens it to a pothole in the road – too many of them and people can no longer drive on the road.
