环状RNA（circular RNA, circRNA）是广泛存在于生物体内的一种非编码RNA，具有闭合环状结构，经过特殊剪切机制形成，在基因转录后水平发挥重要调控作用。哺乳动物中枢神经系统中存在大量circRNA，与神经细胞增殖、分化、凋亡及脑缺血后神经细胞损伤密切相关。有研究表明脑缺血性疾病发生时，circRNA表达模式显著改变，然而目前对触发circRNA表达改变的因素及其调控网络却知之甚少。文章分析总结现有研究结果，详细描述了circRNA的形成机制、功能作用、在脑组织中的表达特点及其在脑缺血性损伤中的作用和研究进展。随着分子生物学技术的发展及对circRNA临床应用研究的深入，circRNA有望成为脑缺血性疾病早期诊断治疗及评价预后的检查指标。“,”Circular RNA (circRNA) is a type of non-coding RNA, with a closed-loop structure, which exists in organisms extensively and is produced in the way of specific back-splicing mechanism. It plays an essential role in regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. CircRNA is abundant enrichment in the central nervous system of mammalians, which is tightly related to the proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and injury of neurons after cerebral ischemia. Studies have shown that circRNA expression patterns change significantly during cerebral ischemia; however, little is known about their regulatory networks and the factors that alter circRNA expression patterns. Analysis and summary for the previous studies, this paper aims to describe the formative mechanism, functional role and expression characteristics of circRNA in the brain tissue detailedly, as well as its research progress in cerebral ischemic injury. With the development of molecular biological technology and the in-depth clinical application of circRNA, it is expected to become a promising indicator for the early diagnosis and treatment of cerebral ischemia diseases and prognosis evaluation.