FACTS Flashcards
Upper visual defects / problems are always associated with occipitotemporal lobes
Lower visual defects / problems are always associated with the occipitoparietal lobes.
Lesions specific to the medial surface of the cerebrum will always produce deficits that involve the lower body extremities (feet, legs); lesions specific to the lateral surface of the cerebrum will always produce deficits that involve the upper body (chest, arms, face).
When considering the cerebral vascular, 70% of the lateral surface of the cerebrum is supplied by the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Events affecting the MCA will produce symptoms that are confined to the upper body (e.g., chest, arms, and/or face). The symptoms will occur on the side of the body opposite to the vascular event
innsufficiency blood flow to the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) will affect the medial surface of the cerebrum. Hence, symptoms will tend to involve the lower body
Insufficiency blood flow to branches of the PCA generally produce visual problems (restricted to the central visual fields) and because the ventral surface of the temporal cortex is affected can also produce problems with facial recognition and memory.
Expression difficulties with language with intact language comprehension (i.e. the following of simple commands) always involve lesions of the left prefrontal cortex or more specifically left prefrontal cortex involving Broca’s Area (or Areas 44, 45). The patient is generally aware of the deficit as it typically reflects a motor problem as opposed to a sensory processing problem.
Difficulties in language comprehension with intact verbal fluency always involve lesions affecting the left temporal cortex, or more specifically Wernicke’s area (posterior region of Area 22). The patient is generally unaware of the deficit.
When ruling out the etiology or cause of clinical symptoms (e.g., vascular vs. mass occupying lesion vs. electrical), a rapid onset is usually indicative of either vascular or electrical events as opposed to a mass occupying lesion or tumor/neoplasm. Clinical symptoms associated with neoplastic lesions generally have a slower onset.
Most seizure events (especially in adults) tend to be focal in nature and are very brief. Because of the involvement of the mesial temporal lobes, the patient will reports will tend to be psychical by nature (i.e., dream-like, odd smells, emotions, memories, vivid hallucinations etc.).
By virtue of statistical frequency, most etiologies will involve vascular dysfunction.
