From Bedside to Bench: How Clinical Reality Should Instruct Stroke Modeling

Stroke is a complex and heterogeneous disease. Although animal models have provided valuable insight into its pathophysiology, the knowledge gained from animal experiments has not been fully transferred into clinical practice. Clinical trials testing for neuroprotective drugs have not been successful and discussions questioning the usefulness of animal models in stroke research have been ongoing. In this chapter, we discuss conceptual strategies to overcome the gap between clinical practice and research.