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Black persons are thrice as likely to suffer a stroke than their white counterparts, says a new article published in the journal Neurology.

When blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off, the brain cells get deprived of oxygen and begin to die. During a stroke, when the brain cells die, certain skills that are managed by the region of the brain, such as memory and muscle control get lost, according to the National Stroke Association.

Examining 30,000 enrolled in the REGARDS Study, an observational probe looking at stroke risk in persons over 45 years, the researchers said that close to 3,000 in the study had a history of stroke, while about 300 had a second stroke.

Among the 27,000 who did not suffer a stroke, about 1,000 went through a first-time stroke.

"The interaction between black race and age appears to be remarkably different for the risk of first versus second stroke," said Howard, principal investigator for the REGARDS Study. "Race has little impact in the risk for a second stroke."

Blacks, at the age of 45, were about 2.7 times more likely to have a stroke than whites at 54, even if they had not had an earlier stroke. But at the age of 85, there was no difference in stroke risks between the two races.

Scientists saw that while the stroke risk is reducing in both groups, whites see a greater decline.