Objective. To study the effectiveness of common neuropsychological tests for the verification of the diagnosis of cerebral ischemia (CE) and a role of polymorphisms in SERT, ApoE and BDNF genes in its development. Material and methods. We studied 272 inpatients, aged from 37 to 70 years, with CE of the first stage (58 patients), CE of the second stage (121 patients) and CE of the third stage (93 patients). A set of neuropsychological tests, as well as biochemical and molecular-genetic studies were performed. Results and Conclusion. Reitan test was the most effective test for the diagnosis of cognitive impairment. The results of the Clock Drawing Test and MMSE were correlated with the disease severity but did not distinguish between the first and second stages of CE. Arterial hypertension and stenosing atherosclerosis of brain vessels were significant predictors of CE. SERT gene was a marker of the CE risk in men. The genotype SS was associated with the risk of CE with early age-at-onset. No association of ApoE and BDNF genes with CE was found.