Summary

Approximately 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke each year. Mortality data from 2008 indicate that stroke accounted for about 1 of every 18 deaths in the United States. On average, someone in the US has a stroke every 40 seconds [Veronique LR et al. Circulation 2012]. This article discusses changes in how we understand brain microvessel structure, neuron-vascular interactions, and the translation of scientific findings into clinical care.