Study Finds Sexual Assault Victims at Greater Brain Risk

A new study by the The University of Pittsburgh has found that women who have experienced sexual assault have a higher risk of future brain disorders, including dementia and strokes, as they age.

Prior to this study, very little research had been conducted on physical toll these incidents take—the University of Pittsburgh wanted to change that. Their study specifically investigated whether traumatic experiences were associated with white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), which are markers of brain small vessel disease. WMHs can be detected way before the onset of dementia or strokes and can serve as early markers for these disorders.

Of the 150 middle-aged women in the study, 68 percent reported experiencing at least one trauma, with 23 percent having a history of sexual assault. That’s more than one in five women. Although WMH was found in greater volumes for all women having experienced trauma, there was a particular correlation between high volumes of WMH and sexual assault victims. 

This could mean that survivors of assault are at a much greater risk for poor brain health in old age.

“The results of this study are noteworthy in that sexual assault is an unfortunate, yet all-too-common, experience for women; national data indicate that, on average, up to a third of women have had this experience,” says Dr. Rebecca Thurston from the University of Pittsburgh and lead author of the study. “Not only do these results underscore the need for greater prevention of sexual assault, but also provide healthcare professionals with another indicator of who may be at most risk for stroke and dementia later in life.”

Dr. Thurston will be presenting the results of the study during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, September 22-25, 2021 alongside Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director.

“Identifying early warning signs of stroke and dementia are critical to providing effective intervention,” Dr. Faubion says. “Studies like this one provide important information about the long-term effects of traumatic experiences on a woman’s overall well-being and mental health.”