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Association Between Nerve Growth Factor and Clinical Stroke and Covert Brain Infarcts: The FHS.
Martin Mulligan1,2, Alexa S Beiser2,3,4, Saptaparni Ghosh2,4
1School of Medicine University of Galway Galway Ireland.
Journal of the American Heart Association
|April 20, 2026
Summary
Higher serum nerve growth factor (NGF) in late midlife is linked to a lower risk of future stroke, including both clinical events and silent brain infarcts. This finding suggests NGF may play a protective role against cerebrovascular disease.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Nerve growth factor (NGF) is known for its roles in neuroprotection and neural repair.
- The association between serum NGF levels and future stroke risk in humans has not been previously established.
- This study investigates the potential link between midlife NGF levels and subsequent cerebrovascular events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the association between serum NGF levels in late midlife and the risk of future clinical stroke.
- To evaluate the relationship between serum NGF and subclinical markers of brain damage, including covert brain infarcts and white matter hyperintensity volume.
- To assess NGF's potential as a biomarker for stroke risk prediction.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 1709 stroke-free participants in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) Offspring and Omni 1 cohorts.
- Measured baseline serum NGF levels and followed participants for incident stroke over a median of 19.2 years.
- Employed Cox proportional hazards regression for clinical stroke and logistic/linear regression for neuroimaging outcomes, adjusting for vascular risk factors.
Main Results:
- The highest tertile of serum NGF was associated with a significantly reduced risk of all-cause stroke (HR, 0.59) and ischemic stroke (HR, 0.50).
- Higher NGF levels were also linked to a decreased risk of covert brain infarct (OR, 0.57).
- No significant association was found with white matter hyperintensity volume (data not shown in abstract).
Conclusions:
- Elevated serum NGF levels in late midlife are associated with a protective effect against future clinical and silent stroke.
- NGF may serve as a potential biomarker for identifying individuals at lower risk of cerebrovascular disease.
- Further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms underlying NGF's neuroprotective role in stroke prevention.
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