Cerebral/ cerebral artery syndromes- terms

Question 1

Subcortical somatosensory loss

Answer 1

Contralateral somatosensory abnormalities of face, arm, leg

Unilateral dysfunction of thalamus or nearby white matter

Question 2

Subcortical weakness

Answer 2

Contralateral UMN abnormalities of leg, arm, lower face, dysarthria, dysphagia

Unilateral dysfunction of corona radiata, internal capsule, cerebral peduncle, upper basis pontis

Question 3

Parkinsonism

Answer 3

Dysfunction of nigrostriatal tract

Bradykinesia, rigidity, rest tremor, poor postural reflexes

Question 4

Occipital syndrome

Answer 4

Contralateral homonymous hemianopsia

Question 5

Medial temporal syndrome

Answer 5

Anterograde amnesia, personality changes. Usually subtle due to redundancy

Question 6

Lateral temporal syndrome

Answer 6

Homonymous quadrantanopsia

Receptive aphasia

Question 7

Receptive aphasia

Answer 7

Abnormal comprehension, frequent paraphasias, patients unaware of deficits

Caused by lesion at or near Wernicke’s area

Question 8

Expressive aphasia

Answer 8

Abnormal language production, simplification of words and grammar, normal comprehension- patients are frustrated

Caused by lesion at or near Broca’s area

Question 9

Meidal parietal syndrome

Answer 9

Contralateral leg somatosensory abnormalities

Question 10

Lateral parietal syndrome

Answer 10

Contralateral face and arm somatosensory abnormalities
Contralateral inferior homonymous quadrantanopsia
Apraxia, hemineglect

Question 11

Medial frontal syndrome

Answer 11

Contralateral leg UMN abnormalities
Apraxia
Possible cognitive, emotional abnormalities

Question 12

Lateral frontal syndrome

Answer 12

Contralateral face and arm UMN abnormalities
Dysarthria, dysphagia, apraxia, ipsilateral gaze preference, expressive aphasia
Possible cognitive, emotional abnormalities

Question 13

Retinal artery syndrome

Answer 13

Monocular visual loss. Can have altitudinal monocular visual loss if damage is only to a branch of the retinal artery

Question 14

Middle cerebral artery syndrome

Answer 14

Somatosensory loss of the contralateral face and arm
Contralateral homonymous hemianopssia
UMN abnormalities in contralateral face and arm, dysarthria, dysphagia, ipsilateral gaze preference
–> features of lateral frontal, parietal, temporal syndromes + subcortical abnormalities

Question 15

Anterior cerebral artery syndrome

Answer 15

Contralateral leg somatosensory abnormalities
Contralateral leg UMN abnormalities
Apraxia
Possible cognitive, emotional abnormalities

–> features of medial frontal or parietal syndromes

Question 16

Posterior cerebral artery syndrome

Answer 16

Contralateral homonymous hemianopsia (macular sparing)
Contralateral somatosensory loss of face, arm, leg (thalamus)

–> Features of medial occipital or temporal syndromes, or thalamic syndromes