Patients who underwent a minimally invasive procedure to reduce their risk of a stroke by clearing plaque from neck arteries had unexpected gains in memory and mental skills, according to a study that will be presented today at a medical conference in Toronto. If the results are confirmed by other trials, wider use of the procedure may allow many elderly people to continue to live independently, said Dr. Rodney Raabe, the radiologist who led the research team at the Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash. The procedure is known as carotid stenting and has been recently developed as an...