Stroke gene variant found in US

Scientists believe certain genetic variants discovered in a large number of individuals are linked to a common and deadly type of stroke. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the presence of NINJ2, the gene associated with brain injury, and WNK1, the gene which controls the blood pressure, places the individual at an increased risk of developing ischemic stroke. Ischemic strokes, accounting for more than 90 percent of all strokes, are the result of an obstruction within a blood vessel nurturing the brain. The condition is considered as the third-leading cause of death; most survivors however are condemned to suffer from life-long stroke-related disabilities. Environmental factors such as smoking and high blood pressure influence an individual's predisposition to this type of stroke. About 20 percent of white individuals and 10 percent of blacks are reported to have at least one copy of the newly identified genes; each copy is associated with q 30 percent increase in the risk of ischemic stroke. Scientists hope their findings will lead to the development of more effective, early-stage stroke detection strategies.