Introduction Numerous pathological processes affect the cervical and intracranial carotid artery. The most common and widely studied is atherosclerosis of the cervical carotid artery. Atherosclerosis of the intracranial carotid arteries has the same pathophysiological basis and can present with similar…
Introduction Ischemic brain infarctions involving the anterior circulation are by far the most common type of ischemic stroke due to the relative amount of blood that flows to this area as opposed to the posterior circulation. Mechanisms causing anterior circulation…
Introduction Two Different Subtypes of Small Artery Occlusive Diseases Small artery occlusive diseases, known as lacunar stroke, constitute approximately 25% of ischemic strokes and are particularly frequent among Hispanics and Asians. C. Miller Fisher performed detailed clinicopathological examinations and described…
Acknowledgment Thanks to Li-An Ho for the illustrations. Introduction Stroke is typically defined as the sudden onset of a neurologic deficit caused by vascular abnormalities. There are two main categories: (1) ischemia (infarction)—restricted blood flow due to vascular stenosis/occlusion and…
The most common temporary focal neurological events are transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), migrainous accompaniments, seizures, and functional psychogenic episodes . Transient Ischemic Attacks A TIA is defined as a transient episode of neurological dysfunction caused by focal brain, spinal cord,…
Introduction Research scientists rely upon rodent models to help us better understand and test potential treatments for stroke survivors. Although there are limitations in the use of rodents to study human neurological disorders, it is possible to identify and focus…
Introduction Blood biomarkers may improve the diagnostic workup and may facilitate therapeutic decision making in acute stroke patients. This includes the differentiation of “true” stroke patients from stroke mimics, the discrimination between intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and ischemic stroke, the prediction…
Introduction Brain endothelial cells (BECs) that form the blood–brain barrier (BBB) exhibit a unique polarized phenotype characterized by firmly sealed tight junctions, thick and elaborate luminal glycocalyx, and a multitude of transporters and ion pumps responsible for controlled exchange of…
Introduction Although an enormous amount of work has been performed trying to understand the molecular events associated with stroke in animal models, much less has been done assessing the molecular biology of stroke in humans. A number of human studies…
Blood reaches the cortex through larger arterioles, then disperses through the bulk of the tissue through capillaries, and then coalesces back into venules to exit the brain tissue. Much of the gas and nutrient exchange occurs at the capillary level,…