Stroke Physical Symptoms

Question 1

What causes hemiparesis or hemiplegia after stroke?

Answer 1

Damage to the frontal lobe motor cortex and corticospinal tract, and/or brainstem motor pathways (vestibulospinal, rubrospinal, tectospinal), resulting in weakness or paralysis on the contralateral side.

Question 2

Why does stroke cause reduced postural control?

Answer 2

Brainstem damage, particularly to the vestibulospinal system, impairing automatic postural responses and balance control.

Question 3

What causes altered sensation after stroke?

Answer 3

Damage to the parietal lobe somatosensory cortex, affecting touch, pressure, temperature, pain, and vibration.

Question 4

Why do tonal changes occur after stroke?

Answer 4

Upper motor neuron lesions lead to abnormal tone: Early hypotonia Later hypertonia/spasticity depending on lesion location and stage of recovery.

Question 5

What causes poor coordination after stroke?

Answer 5

Cerebellar damage or disruption of cerebellar pathways, resulting in ataxia and impaired timing of movement.

Question 6

Why is fatigue common after stroke?

Answer 6

Combination of deconditioning, impaired motor unit recruitment, increased effort to perform tasks, and central nervous system injury.

Question 7

What causes language difficulties after stroke?

Answer 7

Damage to Broca’s area (expressive aphasia) or Wernicke’s area (receptive aphasia), typically in the dominant hemisphere.

Question 8

What causes spatial neglect after stroke?

Answer 8

Damage to the non-dominant (usually right) parietal lobe, leading to inattention to the contralateral side of space.

Question 9

What is agnosia and where is the lesion?

Answer 9

Inability to recognise objects despite intact sensation, due to parietal or temporal lobe damage.

Question 10

What causes anosognosia after stroke?

Answer 10

Right fronto-parietal damage, leading to lack of awareness or insight into one’s deficits.

Question 11

What causes visual neglect after stroke?

Answer 11

Parietal or occipital lobe damage, resulting in failure to attend to visual stimuli on one side.

Question 12

What causes visual field deficits such as hemianopia or diplopia?

Answer 12

Occipital lobe → hemianopia Brainstem/cerebellum → diplopia and nystagmus due to impaired eye movement control.

Question 13

What causes central pain syndrome after stroke?

Answer 13

Damage to the thalamus, leading to abnormal central pain processing.

Question 14

Why can bladder and bowel dysfunction occur after stroke?

Answer 14

Disruption of autonomic nervous system control and cortical inhibition of bladder/bowel reflexes.

Question 15

What causes pusher syndrome?

Answer 15

Damage to the posterolateral thalamus, causing a perceptual disorder of verticality where the patient actively pushes toward the affected side.