Heritable and non-heritable uncommon causes of stroke

Estimation of the Ischemic Lesion in the Experimental Stroke Studies Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Review)

In translational animal study aimed at evaluation of the effectiveness of innovative methods for treating cerebral stroke, including regenerative cell technologies, of particular importance is evaluation of the dynamics of changes in the volume of the cerebral infarction in response to therapy. Among the methods for assessing the focus of infarction, MRI is the most effective and convenient tool for use in preclinical studies. This review provides a description of MR pulse sequences used to visualize cerebral ischemia at various stages of its development, and a detailed description of the MR semiotics of cerebral infarction. A comparison of various methods for morphometric analysis of the focus of a cerebral infarction, including systems based on artificial intelligence for a more objective measurement of the volume of the lesion, is also presented.

Virtual hospital and artificial intelligence: a first step towards the application of an innovative health system for the care of rare cerebrovascular diseases

The development of virtual care options, including virtual hospital platforms, is rapidly changing the healthcare, mostly in the pandemic period, due to difficulties in in-person consultations. For this purpose, in 2020, a neurological Virtual Hospital (NOVHO) pilot study has been implemented, in order to experiment a multidisciplinary second opinion evaluation system for neurological diseases. Cerebrovascular diseases represent a preponderant part of neurological disorders. However, more than 30% of strokes remain of undetermined source, and rare CVD (rCVD) are often misdiagnosed. The lack of data on phenotype and clinical course of rCVD patients makes the diagnosis and the development of therapies challenging. Since the diagnosis and care of rCVDs require adequate expertise and instrumental tools, their management is mostly allocated to a few experienced hospitals, making difficult equity in access to care. Therefore, strategies for virtual consultations are increasingly applied with some advantage for patient management also in peripheral areas. Moreover, health data are becoming increasingly complex and require new technologies to be managed. The use of Artificial Intelligence is beginning to be applied to the healthcare system and together with the Internet of Things will enable the creation of virtual models with predictive abilities, bringing healthcare one step closer to personalized medicine. Herein, we will report on the preliminary results of the NOVHO project and present the methodology of a new project aimed at developing an innovative multidisciplinary and multicentre virtual care model, specific for rCVD (NOVHO-rCVD), which combines the virtual hospital approach and the deep-learning machine system.

Adult-onset mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS): a diagnostic challenge

Rare causes of stroke-like presentations can be difficult to diagnose. We report a case of a man in his 40s who first presented with stroke symptoms, but whose clinical course was not typical for a stroke. A detailed investigation of the patient's medical history revealed bilateral sensorineural hearing loss which prompted a wider diagnostic assessment.Furthermore, lack of vascular risk factors and a normal angiogram strengthened our suspicion of an unusual underlying condition. Raised lactic acid levels and genetic analysis confirmed a diagnosis of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes syndrome.

Top of the Basilar Syndrome: A Case Report of a Healthy Young Woman and Literature Review

Top of the basilar syndrome (TBS) is defined as the presence of multiple ischemic lesions on magnetic resonance image (MRI) including more than two territories supplied by branches of the distal portion of the basilar artery, causing symptoms such as dizziness, diplopia, ataxia, and acute cognitive decline that can lead to quadriplegia and death. Diagnosing TBS is challenging because it can mimic other conditions such as thalamic hemorrhages or vertebrobasilar ischemia, and requires advanced imaging. Although the prognosis for these patients is poor, rehabilitation is essential for their recovery. This case describes a healthy 28-year-old woman who presented with headache, vomiting, and tonic-clonic seizures sent to the hospital with a stroke diagnosis.

A familial missense ACTA2 variant p.Arg198Cys leading to Moyamoya-like arteriopathy with straight course of the intracranial arteries, aortic aneurysm and lethal aortic dissection

BACKGROUND

Cerebral vasculopathies frequently lead to severe medical conditions such as stroke or intracranial hemorrhage and have a broad range of possible etiologies that require different therapeutic regimens. However, vasculopathies sometimes present with characteristic angiographic findings, that - if recognized - can guide a more specific diagnostic work-up. Certain ACTA2 variants are associated with a distinctive cerebrovascular phenotype characterized by an anomalously straight course of intracranial arteries, dilatation of proximal ICA and stenosis of distal ICA, in the absence of a compensatory basal collateral network found in Moyamoya disease. Until recently, this ACTA2 cerebral arteriopathy has been reported only in ACTA2 variants impairing Arg179.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We report a familial case of a missense ACTA2 variant p.Arg198Cys with angiographic features of an ACTA2 cerebral arteriopathy. We analyzed the neuroimaging features of all four variant carrying family members and discussed the cerebrovascular abnormalities we found on the background of the current literature on ACTA2 arteriopathies.

RESULTS

Neuroimaging of the variant carriers revealed angiographic abnormalities characteristic for ACTA2 cerebral arteriopathy such as stenoses of the terminal internal carotid artery, occlusion of the proximal middle cerebral artery and an anomalously straight course of the intracranial arteries. In our index patient catheter angiography showed a Moyamoya-like basal collateral network alongside with the above-mentioned features of an ACTA2 cerebral arteriopathy. The detected missense ACTA2 variant p.Arg198Cys was not known to be associated a cerebral arteriopathy, so far. One of the patients later died from aortic dissection - a common vascular complication of ACTA2 variants.

CONCLUSION

The familial case expands the phenotype of the detected ACTA2 variant p.Arg198Cys and hereby broadens the range of ACTA2 variants associated with a cerebral arteriopathy. Further, it emphasizes the importance of an interdisciplinary approach of vasculopathies.

Lipidomic Approaches in Common and Rare Cerebrovascular Diseases: The Discovery of Unconventional Lipids as Novel Biomarkers

Stroke remains a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Identifying new circulating biomarkers able to distinguish and monitor common and rare cerebrovascular diseases that lead to stroke is of great importance. Biomarkers provide complementary information that may improve diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of progression as well. Furthermore, biomarkers can contribute to filling the gap in knowledge concerning the underlying disease mechanisms by pointing out novel potential therapeutic targets for personalized medicine. If many "conventional" lipid biomarkers are already known to exert a relevant role in cerebrovascular diseases, the aim of our study is to review novel "unconventional" lipid biomarkers that have been recently identified in common and rare cerebrovascular disorders using novel, cutting-edge lipidomic approaches.

Association of LIPC polymorphisms with stroke risk in the Chinese population

Background

Stroke is a common cerebrovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between LIPC single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the risk of stroke in the Chinese population.

Methods

This study recruited 710 stroke patients and 701 healthy controls. The four SNPs (rs690, rs6083, rs3829461, and rs6074) in LIPC were genotyped by the Agena MassARRAY. The correlation between LIPC polymorphisms and stroke risk was measured by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). In addition, multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis was used to evaluate the impact of SNP-SNP interaction on stroke risk.

Results

Overall analysis showed that rs690 was associated with an increased risk of stroke (T vs. G: OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.01-1.40, p = 0.041; additive: OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.01-1.42, p = 0.036). The stratified analysis revealed that rs690 was associated with an increased risk of stroke in subjects aged ≤ 64 years, male patients, and smokers, and rs6074 was associated with an increased risk of stroke in subjects aged > 64 years, male patients, drinkers, and non-smokers (p < 0.05). The results of the MDR analysis suggested the four-locus model as the most favorable model for assessing the risk of stroke. The analysis of clinical parameters of stroke patients showed that rs690 was correlated with platelet distribution width (PDW) (p = 0.014) and hematocrit levels (p = 0.004), and rs6074 was correlated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level (p = 0.033). Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis results demonstrated that the expression levels of LIPC and its related genes (APOB, CETP, PNPLA2, and LMF1) were significantly different between the control and stroke groups (p < 0.05), and LIPC-related proteins were mainly related to lipid metabolism.

Conclusion

This study indicated that rs690 and rs6074 in LIPC were significantly associated with increased risk of stroke in the Chinese population, possibly by regulating the levels of PDW, HCT, and LDL-C.

Prediction of underlying atrial fibrillation in patients with a cryptogenic stroke: results from the NOR-FIB Study

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) detection and treatment are key elements to reduce recurrence risk in cryptogenic stroke (CS) with underlying arrhythmia. The purpose of the present study was to assess the predictors of AF in CS and the utility of existing AF-predicting scores in The Nordic Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke (NOR-FIB) Study.

METHOD

The NOR-FIB study was an international prospective observational multicenter study designed to detect and quantify AF in CS and cryptogenic transient ischaemic attack (TIA) patients monitored by the insertable cardiac monitor (ICM), and to identify AF-predicting biomarkers. The utility of the following AF-predicting scores was tested: AS5F, Brown ESUS-AF, CHA₂DS₂-VASc, CHASE-LESS, HATCH, HAVOC, STAF and SURF.

RESULTS

In univariate analyses increasing age, hypertension, left ventricle hypertrophy, dyslipidaemia, antiarrhythmic drugs usage, valvular heart disease, and neuroimaging findings of stroke due to intracranial vessel occlusions and previous ischemic lesions were associated with a higher likelihood of detected AF. In multivariate analysis, age was the only independent predictor of AF. All the AF-predicting scores showed significantly higher score levels for AF than non-AF patients. The STAF and the SURF scores provided the highest sensitivity and negative predictive values, while the AS5F and SURF reached an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) > 0.7.

CONCLUSION

Clinical risk scores may guide a personalized evaluation approach in CS patients. Increasing awareness of the usage of available AF-predicting scores may optimize the arrhythmia detection pathway in stroke units.

Diagnostic Evaluation of Stroke Etiology

OBJECTIVE

Precise therapies require precise diagnoses. This article provides an evidence-based approach to confirming the diagnosis of ischemic stroke, characterizing comorbidities that provide insights into the pathophysiologic mechanisms of stroke, and identifying targets for treatment to optimize the prevention of recurrent stroke.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Identifying the presence of patent foramen ovale, intermittent atrial fibrillation, and unstable plaque is now routinely included in an increasingly nuanced workup in patients with stroke, even as ongoing trials seek to clarify the best approaches for treating these and other comorbidities. Multicenter trials have demonstrated the therapeutic utility of patent foramen ovale closure in select patients younger than age 60 years. Insertable cardiac monitors detect atrial fibrillation lasting more than 30 seconds in about one in ten patients monitored for 12 months following a stroke. MRI of carotid plaque can detect unstable plaque at risk of being a source of cerebral embolism.

ESSENTIAL POINTS

To optimize the prevention of recurrent stroke, it is important to consider pathologies of intracranial and extracranial blood vessels and of cardiac structure and rhythm as well as other inherited or systemic causes of stroke. Some aspects of the stroke workup should be done routinely, while other components will depend on the clinical circumstances and preliminary testing results.

Effects of balance training in addition to auxiliary activity on balance function of patients with stroke at high risk for falls

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of balance training in addition to auxiliary activity on the balance function of patients with stroke at high risk for falls.

Methods

A total of 112 patients with stroke at high risk for falls in our hospital from inception to January 2020 to December 2020 were selected as the research objects who were equally divided into the control group and study group according to the random number table method. Patients in the control group were intervened with auxiliary activity, and the patients in the study group received additional balance training for auxiliary activity. The balance function, lower extremity motor function, fall risk, walking ability, and other indicators were compared between the two groups of patients before and after treatment. The hospitalization time and the frequency of falls 3 months after discharge were also compared between the two groups.

Results

Before treatment, there was no significant difference in balance function, lower extremity motor function, fall risk, and walking ability scores between the two groups (P > 0.05). After 3 months of treatment, the balance function, lower extremity motor function, and walking ability scores of the study group were significantly higher than those of the control group, with the fall risk score significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). Evidently, lower hospitalization time and the frequency of falls in the 3-month follow-up of the study group were observed than those in the control group (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the frequency of falls between the two groups during hospitalization (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Our results indeed revealed that balance training in addition to auxiliary activity elicited beneficial outcomes in terms of effectively improving the balance function and walking ability of patients with stroke at high risk of falling, which may have the potential for wide clinical application.

Exome-based gene panel analysis in a cohort of acute juvenile ischemic stroke patients:relevance of NOTCH3 and GLA variants

BACKGROUND

Genetic variants are considered to have a crucial impact on the occurrence of ischemic stroke. In clinical routine, the diagnostic value of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in the medical clarification of acute juvenile stroke has not been investigated so far.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We analyzed an exome-based gene panel of 349 genes in 172 clinically well-characterized patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-proven, juvenile (age ≤ 55 years), ischemic stroke admitted to a single comprehensive stroke center.

RESULTS

Monogenetic diseases causing ischemic stroke were observed in five patients (2.9%): In three patients with lacunar stroke (1.7%), we identified pathogenic variants in NOTCH3 causing cerebral autosomal-dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). Hence, CADASIL was identified at a frequency of 12.5% in the lacunar stroke subgroup. Further, in two male patients (1.2%) suffering from lacunar and cardioembolic stroke, pathogenic variants in GLA causing Fabry's disease were present. Additionally, genetic variants in monogenetic diseases lacking impact on stroke occurrence, variants of unclear significance (VUS) in monogenetic diseases, and (cardiovascular-) risk genes in ischemic stroke were observed in a total of 15 patients (15.7%).

CONCLUSION

Genetic screening for Fabry's disease in cardioembolic and lacunar stroke as well as CADASIL in lacunar stroke might be beneficial in routine medical work-up of acute juvenile ischemic stroke.

Clinical exome sequencing uncovers a high frequency of Mendelian disorders in infants with stroke: A retrospective analysis

Stroke causes significant disability and is a common cause of death worldwide. Previous studies have estimated that 1%-5% of stroke is attributable to monogenic etiologies. We set out to assess the utility of clinical exome sequencing (ES) in the evaluation of stroke. We retrospectively analyzed 124 individuals who received ES at the Baylor Genetics reference lab between 2012 and 2021 who had stroke as a major part of their reported phenotype. Ages ranged from 10 days to 69 years. 8.9% of the cohort received a diagnosis, including 25% of infants less than 1 year old; an additional 10.5% of the cohort received a probable diagnosis. We identified several syndromes that predispose to stroke such as COL4A1-related brain small vessel disease, homocystinuria caused by CBS mutation, POLG-related disorders, TTC19-linked mitochondrial disease, and RNASEH2A associated Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome. We also observed pathogenic variants in NSD1, PKHD1, HRAS, and ATP13A2, which are genes rarely associated with stroke. Although stroke is a complex phenotype with varying pathologies and risk factors, these results show that use of exome sequencing can be highly relevant in stroke, especially for those presenting <1 year of age.

Neuroimaging in Pediatric Stroke

Pediatric stroke is unfortunately not a rare condition. It is associated with severe disability and mortality because of the complexity of potential clinical manifestations, and the resulting delay in seeking care and in diagnosis. Neuroimaging plays an important role in the multidisciplinary response for pediatric stroke patients. The rapid development of adult endovascular thrombectomy has created a new momentum in health professionals caring for pediatric stroke patients. Neuroimaging is critical to make decisions of identifying appropriate candidates for thrombectomy. This review article will review current neuroimaging techniques, imaging work-up strategies and special considerations in pediatric stroke. For resources limited areas, recommendation of substitute imaging approaches will be provided. Finally, promising new techniques and hypothesis-driven research protocols will be discussed.

Occurrence of Intracranial Hemorrhage and Associated Risk Factors in Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy With Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Purpose

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is thought to be a rare but probably underestimated presentation of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis with the aim of comprehensively revealing the occurrence of ICH in patients with CADASIL.

Methods

English-language studies published up to September 30, 2021 were searched for in the MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. The design, patient characteristics, occurrence rate of ICH, and associated risk factors were retrieved for each identified relevant study.

Results

We enrolled 13 studies in the final meta-analysis, which included 1,310 patients with CADASIL. The probability of ICH occurrence in patients with CADASIL was 10.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]=5.6%–18.0%, I²=85.1%). When stratified by geographic region, the occurrence rate of ICH was much higher in Asians (17.7%; 95% CI=11.0%–28.5%, I²=76.3%) than in Europeans (2.0%; 95% CI=0.4%–10.8%, I²=82.8%). A higher burden of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) and a history of hypertension were the most commonly recorded risk factors for ICH, which were available for three and two of the included studies, respectively.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that ICH is an important clinical manifestation of CADASIL, especially in Asians. A higher burden of CMBs and the existence of hypertension were found to be associated with a higher probability of ICH occurrence in patients with CADASIL.

Effect of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Polyphenolic Acid Injection on Improving Limb Use and Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Acute Stroke

Aims. To investigate the effect of injectable salvia polyphenolic acid on the improvement of limb movement and cognitive dysfunction in acute stroke patients. Materials and Methods. The clinical data of 90 acute stroke patients were collected for retrospective study and divided into 45 cases each in the comparison group and the observation group according to the different treatment methods; using basic treatment + salvianolic acid, the comparison group implemented conventional alteplase and butalbital treatment, and the observation group used injectable salvianolic acid treatment, to observe and compare the clinical efficacy, changes in neurological deficits, cognitive function, and motor function scores before and after treatment in the two groups. Results. The NIHSS (National Institute of Health stroke scale) score, cerebral infarct volume, NSE (neuron-specific enolase), and S100β (A neurotrophic factor) levels were reduced after treatment compared with those before treatment in this group, and the NIHSS score, cerebral infarct volume, NSE, and S100β levels in the observation group were lower than those in the comparison group after treatment, and the difference was statistically significant ( $P<0.05$ ). Compared with the clinical efficacy of the comparison group and the observation group, the treatment effect of the observation group was better than that of the comparison group, and the difference was statistically significant ( $P<0.05$ ). After treatment, the cognitive function and motor function scores of both groups were significantly improved compared with those before treatment, and the degree of improvement of each score in the observation group was significantly better than that in the comparison group ( $P<0.05$ ). During the trial, two patients in the comparison group developed a generalized rash and withdrew from the experiment, and the rash subsided after anti-allergic treatment, and no significant adverse events were observed in the remaining participants. There was no statistically significant difference in liver and kidney function and cardiac enzyme test indexes between the two groups of patients at 14 days of treatment ( $P>0.05$ ). Conclusion. Danshen polyphenolic acid for injection has definite clinical efficacy in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, and it can effectively improve cognitive and motor functions and promote neurological recovery in patients with high safety.

Plasmatic trimethylamine N-oxide and its relation to stroke: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Elevated circulating concentrations of the gut metabolite, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), were found in patients who experienced stroke. However, it has not been reported whether a high level of TMAO is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke. This study aimed to review the available scientific evidence about the relationship between TMAO levels and the risk of stroke in a dose-response meta-analysis.

METHODS

The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched for studies starting from September 1996 to December 2020. Nine studies including 4402 subjects were reviewed in this study.

RESULTS

The results of meta-analysis showed that high levels of circulating TMAO were associated with an increased risk of stroke in patients in the random-effects model (odds ratio [OR], 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-2.41; P = 0.047). The OR for the prevalence of stroke increased by 48% per 5-μmol/L increment (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.16-1.78; P < 0.001) and by 132% per 10-μmol/L increment (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.38-3.86; P < 0.001) in circulating TMAO concentration according to the dose-response meta-analysis.

CONCLUSION

There was a significant association between higher plasma TMAO concentrations and the risk of stroke. Further in-depth studies are warranted to validate this interaction and explore potential mechanisms.

Diagnostic Value of Image Features of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Intracranial Hemorrhage and Cerebral Infarction

This study aimed to investigate the differential diagnosis value of routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in hyperacute intracranial hemorrhage (HICH) and hyperacute cerebral infarction (HCI). Fifty-five patients with HICH were set as group A, and 55 patients with HCI were selected as group B. All the patients underwent routine MRI and DWI examinations. The morphological distribution and signal characteristics (low, high, or mixed) of the lesions in the two groups were recorded. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of routine MRI and DWI were compared for distinguishing HICH and HCI. The results suggested that the lesions in patients with HICH were mainly manifested as mixed signals (40 cases), while those in patients with HCI showed high signals (48 cases). HICH occurred in the basal ganglia in 44 cases, in the brain stem in 6 cases, in the cerebellum in 4 cases, in the cerebral cortex in 0 cases, and in the corpus callosum in 1 case. HCI occurred in the basal ganglia area, brain stem, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and corpus callosum in 5, 3, 35, 12, and 0 cases, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of DWI for HICH and HCI were significantly higher than those of routine MRI (P < 0.05). It was indicated that compared with routine MRI, DWI was more effective in the diagnosis of HICH and HCI, with clearer and more accurate images and better diagnostic performance.

From cryptogenic to ESUS: Toward precision medicine?

Cryptogenic infarctions are infarctions without a defined cause, despite a complete work-up. They differ from infarctions of undetermined causes, which may involve overlapping causes or an incomplete investigation. It is also different from uncommon heritable and non-heritable causes. The term embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) proposed in 2014 is defined as a non-lacunar brain infarct without proximal arterial stenosis or cardioembolic sources. The major advantage of this definition compared to cryptogenic definition is the proposition of a specific work-up. In a general population, frequent potential sources of embolism in patients with ESUS have been suggested since a long time and include: patent foramen ovale (PFO), covert atrial fibrillation (AF), complex aortic arch atheroma, large vessel atheroma with stenosis<50%, carotid web, atrial cardiomyopathy, thrombophilia associated with cancer. It took almost 30 years to show, in patients under 60 with a cryptogenic stroke and a PFO, that PFO occlusion was superior to medical treatment alone for recurrent stroke. PFO under 60 is therefore no longer a cryptogenic cause of infarction. The concept of cryptogenic stroke and its refinement in ESUS have been fruitful for the identification of PFO associated as a cause. Covert AF can be detected by different techniques but its risk significance for recurrent stroke might be different from the simple electrocardiographic detection of AF. With the development of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAs), randomized studies in patients with ESUS, were run for stroke prevention but no difference was observed between patients treated by DOA compared to aspirin. These studies showed however the heterogeneity of ESUS patients. Further ESUS classification should be considered as a tool to identify homogeneous groups. We propose to further split the ESUS group into different subgroups: ESU-PFO>60-year-old, ESUS-ATH with stenosis<50%, ESUS-AF (covert AF & atrial cardiomyopathy), ESUS-cancer and others. Precision medicine is the ability to make targeted healthcare decisions based on the specific risks of individual patients. One preliminary stage is therefore to identify homogeneous groups suitable in the future for new therapeutic trials and, at the end, for new specific treatments.

Ischemic Stroke Genetics: What Is New and How to Apply It in Clinical Practice?

The etiology of ischemic stroke is multifactorial. Although receiving less emphasis, genetic causes make a significant contribution to ischemic stroke genesis, especially in early-onset stroke. Several stroke classification systems based on genetic information corresponding to various stroke phenotypes were proposed. Twin and family history studies, as well as candidate gene approach, are common methods to discover genetic causes of stroke, however, both have their own limitations. Genome-wide association studies and next generation sequencing are more efficient, promising and increasingly used for daily diagnostics. Some monogenic disorders, despite covering only about 7% of stroke etiology, may cause well-known clinical manifestations that include stroke. Polygenic disorders are more frequent, causing about 38% of all ischemic strokes, and their identification is a rapidly developing field of modern stroke genetics. Current advances in human genetics provide opportunity for personalized prevention of stroke and novel treatment possibilities. Genetic risk scores (GRS) and extended polygenic risk scores (PRS) estimate cumulative contribution of known genetic factors to a specific outcome of stroke. Combining those scores with clinical information and risk factor profiles might result in better primary stroke prevention. Some authors encourage the use of stroke gene panels for stroke risk evaluation and further stroke research. Moreover, new biomarkers for stroke genetic causes and novel targets for gene therapy are on the horizon. In this article, we summarize the latest evidence and perspectives of ischemic stroke genetics that could be of interest to the practitioner and useful for day-to-day clinical work.