A TIA or a minor stroke is a temporary interruption of blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord or retina, which may cause stroke-like symptoms but does not damage brain cells or cause permanent disability.

When people use the term ministroke, what they're really often referring to is a transient ischemic attack  A TIA is a brief interruption of blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord or retina, which may cause temporary stroke-like symptoms but does not damage brain cells or cause permanent disability.

Small stroke may mean a bigger one is close behind. Yet, a new study shows the subtle, temporary signs of transient ischemic attacks or TIAs  should be taken more seriously by both patients and in medical practitioners. TIA, like a stroke, results from a blood clot in the blood vessels leading to the brain or in the brain itself.