Strokes

Question 1

What features do you see in someone who has had a left sided stroke?

Answer 1

paralysed right side
speech-language deficits
slow, cautious behavioural style
memory deficits

Question 2

What features do you see in someone who has had a right sided stroke?

Answer 2

paralysed left side
spatial-perceptual deficits
quick, impulsive behavioural style
memory deficits

Question 3

What features do you see in someone who has had an MCA occlusion?

Answer 3

contralateral lower face weakness
contralateral loss of pain sensation and movement (hemianaesthesia + hemiplegia)
ataxia
speech impairments (L brain)
perceptual deficits (R brain)
visual deficits

Question 4

What features do you see in someone who has had an ACA occlusion?

Answer 4

weakness and sensory loss in foot and leg
ataxia
incontinence
slowness + lack of spontaneity

Question 5

What features do you see in someone who has had an PCA occlusion?

Answer 5

midbrain syndrome:

• third nerve palsy
• contralateral hemiplegia

thalamic syndromes:

• chorea/hemiballismus (=jerky involuntary movements/flailing limbs)
• hemisensory disturbances

visual field defects, visual hallucinations, memory problems

Question 6

What features do you see in someone who has had a brainstem stroke?

Answer 6

double vision 
face weakness
sensory weakness
taste disturbance
hearing loss
difficulties in balancing and dizziness
difficulties in swallowing
blood pressure and respiratory dysfunction

Question 7

What are some of the features of a cerebellar stroke?

Answer 7

DANISH:
dysdiadochokinesis
ataxia
nystagmus
intention tremor
slurred/scanning speech
hypotonia/hyporeflexia

Question 8

Where are the different tracts in the spinal cord?

Answer 8

anterior –> spinothalamic tract
middle –> corticospinal tract
posterior –> dorsal columns

Question 9

What do you see if you damage the anterior spinal cord?

Answer 9

X spinothalamic tract:

contralateral loss of pain and temperature

Question 10

What do you see if you damage the middle spinal cord?

Answer 10

X corticospinal tract:

ipsilateral loss of motor function

Question 11

What do you see if you damage the posterior spinal cord?

Answer 11

X dorsal columns:

loss of ipsilateral vibration and sensation

Question 12

What is Brown-Sequard syndrome and what are the features?

Answer 12

unilateral hemisection of SC
ipsilateral loss of motor function
impaired joint position and vibration sens
contralateral loss of pain and temperature