MRCEM Notes

Stroke by anatomy

Site of the lesionAssociated effects
Anterior cerebral arteryContralateral hemiparesis and sensory loss, lower extremity > upper
Middle cerebral arteryContralateral hemiparesis and sensory loss, upper extremity > lower
Contralateral homonymous hemianopia
Aphasia
Posterior cerebral arteryContralateral homonymous hemianopia with macular sparing
Visual agnosia
Weber's syndrome (branches of the posterior cerebral artery that supply the midbrain)Ipsilateral CN III palsy
Contralateral weakness of upper and lower extremity
Posterior inferior cerebellar artery (lateral medullary syndrome, Wallenberg syndrome)Ipsilateral: facial pain and temperature loss
Contralateral: limb/torso pain and temperature loss
Ataxia, nystagmus
Anterior inferior cerebellar artery (lateral pontine syndrome)Symptoms are similar to Wallenberg's (see above), but:
Ipsilateral: facial paralysis and deafness
Retinal/ophthalmic arteryAmaurosis fugax
Basilar artery'Locked-in' syndrome

Lacunar strokes
  • present with either isolated hemiparesis, hemisensory loss or hemiparesis with limb ataxia
  • strong association with hypertension
  • common sites include the basal ganglia, thalamus and internal capsule

Circulation to the brain
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