Brain -- Effects of Stroke

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Your brain has three main components - the cerebrum (which consists of the left and right cerebral hemispheres), the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The cerebral hemispheres of the brain make up the largest part of your brain. The cerebellum is the structure located behind the brain stem, and the brain stem is the lowest section of the brain and is connected to the spinal cord.

Illustration provided by: Leslie Laurien, MSMI

Region of the Cerebrum Damaged by Stroke

Signs and Symptoms

Wernicke's area (central language Difficulty speaking understandably and comprehending speech; area) confusion between left and right; difficulty reading, writing, naming objects, and calculating Broca's area (speech) Difficulty speaking and, sometimes, writing

Parietal lobe on the left side of the Loss of coordination of the right arm and leg brain Facial and limb areas of the motor Paralysis of the right arm and leg and the right side of the face cortex on the left side of the brain Facial and arm areas of the sensory cortex Absence of sensation in the right arm and the right side of the face Optic radiation Loss of the right half of the visual field of both eyes

Glossary Brain stem Mainly controls unconscious vital functions such as blood pressure and breathing

Broca's area Controls speech Cerebellum Maintains posture, balance and coordination of movement Gustatory area Controls the sense of taste Left cerebral hemisphere Together with right cerebral hemisphere, controls most conscious and mental activities Left middle cerebral artery A major source of blood supply to the brain Motor cortex Sends instructions to muscles to cause voluntary movements Optic radiation Tract of nerve fibers involved in vision Parietal lobe Involved in sensations of pain and touch, spatial orientation, and speech Prefrontal cortex Provides ability to plan, reason, concentrate, and adjust behavior Premotor cortex Coordinates series of movements or intricate, complex movements Primary auditory cortex Distinguishes sound qualities (eg, loudness and tones) Primary somatic sensory cortex Receives information from skin receptors, distinguishing different types of sensations Primary visual cortex Detects basic parts of a visual scene (eg, outlines and light or dark) Wernicke's area Interprets sensory information

Brain -- Lobes
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The cerebrum (the portion of your brain that performs motor and sensory functions and a variety of mental activities) is divided into four lobes - the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes. Some of these lobes are separated by deep grooves called fissures.

Source: AMA's Current Procedural Terminology, Revised 1998 Edition. CPT is a trademark of the American Medical Association.

Brain -- Side View

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Your brain has three main components: the cerebrum (which consists of the left and right cerebral hemispheres), the cerebellum and the brain stem. The cerebral hemispheres of the brain make up the largest part of your brain. The cerebellum is the structure located behind the brain stem, and the brain stem is the lowest section of the brain and is connected to the spinal cord. The central structures of the brain are the thalamus, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland. The thalamus relays sensory information to the cerebrum; the hypothalamus helps regulate body functions such as thirst and appetite, as well as sleep, aggression, and sexual behavior; and the pituitary gland produces hormones that play a role in growth, development, and various other physiological variables. The pons, medulla, and midbrain are the three structures that compose the brain stem. The ventricles are natural cavities inside the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

Source: AMA's Current Procedural Terminology, Revised 1998 Edition. CPT is a trademark of the American Medical Association.