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Transient ischemic attacks are common. They are known as TIA's or mini-strokes, and they produce temporary symptoms of numbness, tingling, and sometimes, weakness or difficulty speaking. They are caused by a temporary lack of blood flow to the brain and, as the term "transient" suggests, they have generally been considered to be temporary events, with no lasting effect.
According to a recent publication in Stroke, the journal of the American Heart Association, these events may not be as transient as previously believed. Researchers from the University of British Columbia performed transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on subjects who had suffered a recent TIA and found interesting results. These subjects' brain cells were more difficult to stimulate, as is necessary in learning and recalling information, than the brain cells in subjects with healthy brains.
TIA's have long been considered a warning sign that more serious, future strokes could be more likely. But this new information suggests that they are more than a warning sign of future problems; they might be a part of a current problem with long-term effects on brain health.
For perspective, this was a small study involving only 13 subjects, and the results have not yet been reproduced in other peer-reviewed publications. It is merely the first step, and perhaps an important one, in the scientific process by which we discover and validate new knowledge.
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