Rosman L, Sico JJ, Lampert R, et al. - Given that transient ischemic attack (TIA) and ischemic stroke were associated with psychological factors, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in older populations, researchers ascertained if PTSD also raises risk for early incident stroke in young adults. In a cohort of 987,855 young and middle-aged Veterans (mean age of 30.29 ± 9.19 years) who first accessed care through the Veterans Health Administration from October 2001 to November 2014 and were free of TIA and ischemic stroke at baseline, the incidence of TIA and ischemic stroke were prospectively assessed. In 766 and 1,877 patients, respectively, TIA and ischemic stroke were diagnosed over a 13-year period. During the follow-up, 28.6% of the sample was diagnosed with PTSD. Findings suggested an association of PTSD with a significant rise in the risk of early incident TIA and ischemic stroke independent of established stroke risk factors, coexisting psychiatric disorders, and healthcare utilization. Gender moderated the ischemic stroke relationship for adults, but not TIA. Such outcomes indicate that psychological factors for young adults, including PTSD, can be important targets for future age-specific prevention strategies.