Case Study

A Case of Cerebrovascular Accident

1. Ischemia: when the blood supply is decreased in any part of the body

Infarction: when the tissue dies, due to lack of oxygen

2. A stroke is a cerebrovascular accident that happens when this brain tissue does not get the blood supply that it needs. A mechanism can be caused by a blood clot or anything disrupting the blood flow from getting to the brain.

3. The brain has a circular vascular structure called the circle of Willis and two pairs of arteries in the body that feed that circle. So most areas of the brain get blood from more than one collateral blood vessel. It depends on what kind of stroke and how serious it is as far as the symptoms. It also depends on the location of the stroke a.nd severity of brain ischemia.

4. Risk factors for ischemic stroke are hypertension, age, cigarette smoking, male gender, family history, race, previous stroke, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, mitral stenosis, prosthetic cardiac valves, myocardial infarction, drug abuse, diabetes, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle. Risk factors and warning signs that Mr. Dexter had were Risk factors for hemorrhagic stroke were smoking, age, and obesity.

5. Brodman areas are fifty-two cerebral cortical structural areas that were mapped in 1906 by Brodman. Brodman areas relate to the neurological deficits by mapping of functional areas soon followed.

6. Broca's area directs muscles involved in speech production, but also active as we prepare to speak and as we plan many other voluntary motor activities.Wernicke's area function in understanding language and in putting words together in cogent order. Both areas work together along with the basal nuclei to allow understanding, motor planning, motor control and speaking composed thoughts.

7. Ipsilateral refers to body functions that are associated with areas of the brain hemisphere on that same side. Contralateral refers to body functions associated with areas of the...