To clarify the relationship between non-specific neurological complaints and silent cerebral infarction (SCI), we studied 82 patients (56 +/- 8 years old; mean +/- SD) who presented with at least one complaint (headache, dizziness, forgetfulness) and 76 normal volunteers with no complaints (55 +/- 7 years old). All subjects were evaluated with a questionnaire for complaints and with 0.5 T magnetic resonance imaging of the brain for the presence of SCI. Several risk factors for stroke were also studied. SCI was significantly more common in the patients (18%) than in the normal subjects (7%, p < 0.05). SCI was more common in subjects with dizziness (40%) and in those with headache (18%) than in those with no complaints (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, respectively). Dizziness and forgetfulness were closely associated with SCI (p < 0.05). Two risk factors for stroke, age and hypertension, correlated with SCI. These results clearly show that non-specific neurological complaints are closely related to SCI.