Question 7
Mrs. P. was unable to move her left arm or to smile symmetrically since an ischemic stroke that occurred about 3 months previously. Her left leg was also affected, although it was somewhat stronger than her arm. Her caregivers explain that the most difficult thing about working with this patient is that she doesn't truly seem to understand that she has any problem with her left side. In fact she seems to neglect not only the left side of her own body but also objects present on her left side. What regions of the brain are likely to be involved, and what major artery supplies it?
Answer to Question 7
This patient has damaged the right primary motor cortex and/or fibers projecting from it into the internal capsule, thus accounting for the left-sided paralysis. Neglect of the left side usually involves damage to the posterior parts of the lateral parietal and/or temporal lobes. All these regions are supplied by cortical branches of MCA.