Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) identified Phosphatase and actin regulator 1 (PHACTR1) as a critical locus significantly associated to five different vascular disorders: coronary artery disease, migraine, fibromuscular dysplasia, cervical artery dissection and hypertension 1–4, which represent frequent and significant comorbidities or risk factors linked to ischemic stroke, particularly with early-onset 5–10. Here, PHACTR1 is linked to cervical artery dissection.