Stroke in young adults (15-45 years) is a rare condition. Up to 10% of patients with a first stroke admitted to the hospital belong in this age group. Stroke in the young patient is different from stroke in the elderly in several aspects such as etiology and prognosis. Usually, the management of stroke in young adults warrants an exhaustive etiological work-up. In this article, we review the most relevant issues in the study of young adults who suffer from stroke.