Innovative Stroke Diagnostic and Treatment Strategies

Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, despite significant advances in the field of stroke treatment, such as endovascular therapy and thrombolysis, many patients still do not benefit from these achievements. As an example, it has been estimated that about half of patients submitted to highly effective revascularization treatments like mechanical thrombectomy do not gain functional autonomy in the long term.

To reduce the high burden of the disease, new approaches to diagnosis and treatment are warranted. Ultrafast diagnosis of the stroke subtypes and biomarkers can help in decision making to apply the best revascularization therapy in the rapid institution of medical therapy. This can also avoid the potential hazards of these acute pharmacological interventions. Biomarkers and imaging makers could also be used to more precisely search for stroke etiology and for optimal tailoring of preventive medicine. Another exciting topic in stroke is the possibility of using the blood–brain barrier to deliver new drugs and plastic factors to ameliorate stroke recovery, an area that links nanotechnology and in-depth biophysics and molecular discovery of top translational medicine. Lastly, vascular dementia, which is usually neglected and ill-defined on clinical grounds, remains another important manifestation of cerebrovascular disease. Through the study of the microvascular functional status of cerebral small vessels and their interaction with active neurons and astrocytes and the neurovascular unit, further insights into the disease can be found, and patient treatment can be improved.

This Special Issue aims to present the latest developments in the field, covering multiple areas of stroke from diagnosis through novel therapeutic approaches. We welcome original research, reviews, and short reports on various aspects of stroke pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment, such as technical reports on novel or improved experimental approaches or imaging tools for stroke.

Prof. Dr. Pedro Castro
Prof. Dr. Elsa Azevedo
Guest Editors

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