Introduction

Abstract

Among the developed nations, cerebrovascular disease (CVD) ranks as one of the top three causes of human death and must therefore be considered a major health hazard for mankind. Due to the elucidation of the risk factors involved, there has been a gradual decrease in the incidence of hemorrhagic CVD, but together with the resultant increases in longevity there has also been a gradual increase in ischemic CVD—a trend which is likely to become a worldwide phenomenon. For this reason, the development of techniques for the prevention and treatment of ischemic diseases of the brain is an issue of extreme importance for all of mankind.