Link to depression
Major depression is a risk factor and also a consequence of silent brain infarction (SBI). Persons who present with symptoms of presenile and senile major depression showed a markedly higher incidence of SBI (65.9% and 93.7%). Individuals with major depression who have had an SBI present with more marked neurological deficits and more severe depressive symptoms than do those without SBI. Diagnosis
The diagnosis of a silent stroke is usually made as an incidental finding (by chance) of various neuroimaging techniques. Silent strokes may be detected by:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Computed tomography (CT scan)
Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD), which measures cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) in the large intracranial arteries in the brain, has been shown in various studies to be an effective tool to diagnose children with sickle cell anemia at increased risk of having an initial or recurrent silent stroke. The narrowing of these arteries which is a risk factor for cerebral infarction, is characterized by an increased velocity of blood flow. Prevention
Preventive measures that can be taken to avoid sustaining a silent stroke are the same as for stroke. Smoking cessation is the most immediate step that can be taken, with the effective management of hypertension the major medically treatable factor. Sickle cell anemia
Transfusion therapy lowers the risk for a new silent stroke in children who have both abnormal cerebral artery blood flow velocity, as detected by transcranial Doppler, and previous silent infarct, even when the initial MRI showed no abnormality.
LACIs are strongly associated with the development of white matter lesions (WML) which can be detected via the use of computerized tomography (CT scans). Risk factors
There are various individual risk factors associated with having a silent stroke. Many of these risk factors are the same as those associated with having a major symptomatic stroke. Acrolein: elevated levels of acrolein, a toxic metabolite produced from the polyamines spermine, spermidine and by amine oxidase serve as a marker for silent stroke, when elevated in conjunction with C-reactive protein and interleukin 6 the confidence levels in predicting a silent stroke risk increase. Adiponectin: is a type of protein secreted by adipose cells that improves insulin sensitivity and possesses antiatherogenic properties. Lower levels of s-adiponectin are associated with ischemic stroke. Aging: the prevalence of silent stroke rises with increasing age with a prevalence rate of over twenty percent of the elderly increasing to 30%-40% in those over the age of 70. Anemia: children with acute anemia caused by medical conditions other than sickle cell anemia  with hemoglobin below 5.5 g/dL. are at increased risk for having a silent stroke according to a study released at American Stroke Associations International Stroke Conference 2011. The researchers suggested a thorough examination for evidence of silent stroke in all severely anemic children in order to facilitate timely intervention to ameliorate the potential brain damage.Sickle cell anemia: is an autosomal recessive genetic blood disorder caused in the gene (HBB gene) which codes for hemoglobin (Hg) and results in lowered levels.