Imaging and Serological Biomarkers of Autonomic Dysfunction After Ischemic Stroke

The goal of this observational study is to * to investigate the prevalence and time course of autonomic dysfunction in acute ischemic stroke patients; * to evaluate the influence of lesion location on autonomic dysfunction; * to identify patterns of structural and functional brain connectivity within the central autonomic control circuits associated with autonomic dysfunction; and * to explore causal models of the link between brain lesions; cardiac, immunological and endocrine biomarkers; and dysautonomia. Researchers will compare patients with acute ischemic stroke to patients with transient ischemic attacks to study the effect of acute ischemic brain lesions. Participants will * undergo cardiovascular autonomic function testing; * receive structural and functional MR imaging; * provide blood samples for determinaton of serological biomarkers auf dysautonomia.