We undertook the present study with the following key objectives: (a) is there an increase in the RGMa mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with acute stroke, (b) is the increase in RGMa mRNA levels evident with subcortical lacunar stroke and cortical strokes, (c) is there a relation between the expression of RGMa mRNA and the severity of the acute stroke, and finally (d) is the presence of pre-existing cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) associated with higher levels of RGMa mRNA. The gene discussed is RGMA; the disease is snowflake vitreoretinal degeneration.