Stroke: An Assault on the Brain

1. Explain what happens to the brain when a stroke occurs.

The brain is damaged due to lack of blood. When the blood supply fails, nerve cells stop receiving oxygen and brain damage occurs.

2. Briefly explain the differences between the three different types of strokes.

a) Ischemic Stroke: is caused by a blood clot (thrombus) that occurs in an artery and blocks the flow of blood to a part of the brain. b) Hemorrhagic Stroke: it occurs when a blood vessel ruptures inside of the brain. c) Transient Ischemic Stroke: it's a mini stroke and it occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery for a short time.

3. Identify some of the most common risk factors - in other words, who is most likely to have a stroke?

There's two types of risk factors: controllable and uncontrollable. Controllable risk factors are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, alcohol use, diabetes and overweight. Uncontrollable risk factors are family history, age, gender, history of previous strokes.
 

4. What disabilities can result from a stroke?

Stroke may cause: problems with thinking, learning, memory, attention, paralysis (even on one side of the body), problems with understanding and speaking, emotional problems and pain.

5. What is brain plasticity and what does it mean in terms of recovering from a stroke? 

Brain plasticity is basically the ability of the brain to change, physically, functionally, chemically, throughout the life. Because of the brain plasticity, stroke patients who have lost the ability to speak or to move a limb have a chance to regain function after several weeks of convalescence (use of neuro-imaging techniques).