BOSTON - One day, a simple blood test may help predict whether someone will suffer a stroke.

Researchers at UCLA looked at data on more than 2,000 people enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study and found that high levels of a group of inflammatory molecules in the blood may put people at higher risk of cerebral small vessel disease, a common cause of stroke and memory loss.  

Right now, the condition is diagnosed by MRI, but it can still be hard to predict whether a given patient will eventually suffer a stroke. 

Scientists hope that one day, patients can be screened by simply testing for these molecules in blood and then counseled on lifestyle changes to reduce their stroke risk.