Various genetic variants that predispose to risk factors for stroke have also been shown in GWAS to predispose to ischaemic stroke.8, 9, 10 Two loci associated with atrial fibrillation (PITX2 and ZFHX3) were associated with cardioembolic stroke, whereas a locus on chromosome 9p21 originally associated with coronary artery disease was shown to be a risk factor for large-vessel stroke.8, 9, 10 The few novel stroke-associated loci reported to date have been mainly associated with stroke subtypes, rather than with the phenotype of ischaemic stroke. Here, PITX2 is linked to cardioembolic stroke.