WASHINGTON, D.C.: Scientists believe they have discovered a new set of genes linked to stroke — but not just any stroke. The finding could help shed light on one of the most common types, and one closely associated with cases of dementia.
Until now, no research had identified a gene associated with a this very specific event called small vessel disease, or SVD. What’s most interesting about this finding, researchers say, is the potential impact that it may have. Cerebral SVD is characterized by ischemic lesions located in the small arteries of either the basal ganglia, or the white matter of the brain. It is a very serious type of stroke known to contribute to 45 percent of all dementia cases…