Final answer:
The option not recognized as a direct risk factor for ischemic stroke among the listed items is B. Depression, since gender, prior cardiac disease, family history, and obesity are all established risk factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question at hand is which one of the following is not a potential risk factor for ischemic stroke. In evaluating the options: Prior cardiac disease, Depression, Gender, Family history, and Obesity, we can deduce that Gender is a risk factor as mentioned that men are more likely than women to have strokes, particularly at younger ages. Prior cardiac disease, family history, and obesity have been recognized as direct risk factors that increase an individual's chance of having a stroke. While depression has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to behaviors associated with poor health, it is not recognized as a direct risk factor for ischemic stroke in the same way the other factors are. Therefore, the answer is B. Depression.