For years, doctors believed lacunar strokes happened when fatty deposits clogged tiny arteries in the brain. A new study published Wednesday reveals the opposite is true. These strokes, which strike about 35,000 people in the United Kingdom each year, are actually caused by arteries that have become too wide.
What researchers found inside the brain
Scientists discovered that lacunar strokes, which make up one quarter of all strokes in the UK, are linked to the enlargement and widening of brain arteries. This finding overturns the long held assumption that blockages from fatty buildup were to blame. The study suggests that the arteries expand rather than clog, leading to a different kind of damage.
Why this matters for treatment
The discovery may explain why some medications do not work well for patients who have had lacunar strokes. Standard treatments designed to prevent blockages may be less effective when the underlying problem is arterial widening. Researchers hope the finding will lead to better targeted therapies for the thousands of people affected each year across the UK.
What happened and who was involved
The study was conducted by researchers in the UK who analyzed brain scans and tissue samples from patients who had suffered lacunar strokes. They compared these with healthy brains and found consistent patterns of artery enlargement in the stroke group. Local medical communities have taken note because lacunar strokes are common and often disabling, yet their cause had remained poorly understood.
This new understanding shifts the focus from preventing blockages to understanding why and how brain arteries widen. For the 35,000 people in the UK who experience a lacunar stroke each year, and for the many more worldwide, the research opens a fresh path toward more effective care.
