Disclosed is the use of a therapeutically effective amount of isolated human placental stem cells in the manufacture of a composition for treating an individual having a disease or disorder characterized by a disruption in the flow of blood in or around the brain, wherein the isolated human placental cells are: CD10+, CD34-, and CD105+； CD200+ and HLA-G+； CD73+, CD105+, and CD200+； CD200+ and OCT-4+； CD73+, CD105+ and HLA-G+； CD73+ and CD105+ and facilitate the formation of one or more embryoid-like bodies in a population of placental cells comprising said stem cell when said population is cultured under conditions that allow the formation of an embryoid like body； or OCT-4+ and facilitate the formation of one or more embryoid-like bodies in a population of placental cells comprising the stem cell when said population is cultured under conditions that allow formation of embryoid-like bodies； or any combination thereof. Further disclosed is the use of an effective amount of isolated human placental stem cells in the manufacture of a composition for treating an individual having a disease or disorder characterized by a disruption in the flow of blood in or around the brain, wherein said cells express one or more genes at a detectably higher level than a bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell, wherein said one or more genes are one or more of ACTG2, ADARBI, AMIG02, ARTS-I, B4GALT6, BCHE, Cilorf9, CD200, COL4AI, COL4A2, CPA4, DMD, DSC3, DSG2, ELOVL2, F2RL1, FLJI0781, GATA6, GPRI26, GPRCSB, ICAM1, IER3, IGFBP7, ILIA, IL6, IL18, KRTI8, KRT8, LIPG, LRAP, MATN2, MEST, NFE2L3, NUAKI, PCDH7, PDLIM3, PKP2, RTN1, SERPINB9, ST3GAL6, ST6GALNACS, SLCI2A8, TCF21, TGFB2, VTN, and ZC3HI2A, and wherein said bone marrow-derived stem cell has undergone a number of passages in culture that is equivalent to the number of passages said placental stem cell has undergone.
