Blood NfL levels were increased in patients with newly evolved lesions at 3-month follow-up compared to the remaining patients with small subcortical infarcts (lacunar stroke due to cerebral small-vessel disease) both in the acute phase and after 3 months, pointing to blood NfL as a biomarker of active cerebral small-vessel disease [23]. The gene discussed is NEFL; the disease is cerebral small vessel disease.