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Physical activity patterns, genetic susceptibility, and incident ischemic stroke: a population-based cohort study
Zheng Tu1, Caixiang Zhuang1,2, Yuwen Hu1
1Department of Neurology, Postgraduate Training Base Alliance of Wenzhou Medical University (Wenzhou People's Hospital), Wenzhou, China.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
|June 15, 2026
Summary
Engaging in regular or weekend physical activity significantly lowers ischemic stroke risk, regardless of pattern. However, high genetic risk amplifies stroke risk, particularly in inactive individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Genetics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Ischemic stroke represents a major global health challenge, causing significant mortality and disability.
- The interplay between physical activity patterns, genetic predisposition, and ischemic stroke risk is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between different weekly physical activity patterns (inactive, active regular, weekend warrior) and polygenic risk scores (PRS) with incident ischemic stroke.
- To examine the combined effects of physical activity patterns and genetic risk on ischemic stroke incidence.
Main Methods:
- A prospective analysis of 84,006 UK Biobank participants with accelerometer data.
- Classification of participants based on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) patterns and polygenic risk score (PRS) categories.
- Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident ischemic stroke.
Main Results:
- Both 'active regular' and 'weekend warrior' physical activity patterns were associated with reduced ischemic stroke risk compared to being inactive, with no significant difference between the active groups.
- High PRS was linked to an increased risk of ischemic stroke (HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.35-2.47), while intermediate PRS did not show a significant association.
- Joint analyses revealed that inactive individuals with intermediate or high genetic risk exhibited the highest excess risk for ischemic stroke.
Conclusions:
- Physical activity patterns and polygenic risk scores are independently associated with ischemic stroke risk.
- Meeting physical activity guidelines, whether consistently or concentrated on weekends, offers protection against ischemic stroke.
- Genetic susceptibility plays a crucial role, with higher genetic risk exacerbating stroke risk, especially in physically inactive individuals.
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