Stroke represents a leading cause of mortality and long-term disability. To relieve the heavy burden of stroke, we need to understand its pathogenic mechanisms to promote prevention and treatment. The genetic contribution to stroke is well established, and there is evidence that genetic factors influence stroke occurrence and outcome. Single gene disorders explain only a minority of stroke cases. However, for these diseases, identifying the underlying mutation allows diagnosis, prognostic information, and specific treatments in some cases and enables counselling of other family members.

Most strokes are usually assumed to be polygenic. The role of a number of genes has been extensively investigated in association with stroke, with controversial results.

The main focus of this special issue will be on the existing ongoing research on stroke genetics. The special issue will become an international forum for researchers to summarize the most recent developments and results in the field, with a special emphasis given to the results obtained within the last five years. The topics to be covered include, but are not limited to:

• Update on monogenic disorders associated with stroke (new mutations, genotype-phenotype correlations, MRI development)
• Recent developments in polygenic stroke including
  • New insight in association studies
  • Update in GWA results
  • Specific stroke subtype analysis such as results of cervical artery dissection genetic research
• Standards and protocols to optimize stroke genetics research
• Existing stroke genetics networks
• Future research strategies

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/srt/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable: