Genetics of sporadic cerebral small vessel disease

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) can be divided into sporadic and hereditary CSVD. The exact pathogenesis of sporadic CSVD is unknown. Genetic factors may also play an important role, except for environmental and vascular risk factors. As a complicated disease, sporadic CSVD has the characteristics of multigenetic susceptibility. Therefore, investigating the related genetic factors may contribute to understanding the pathogenesis of sporadic CSVD. This article reviews the advances in research on the genetics of sporadic CSVD. Key words: Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases; Stroke, Lacunar; Leukoencephalopathies; Cerebral Hemorrhage; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Genome-Wide Association Study