Cerebrovascular Accidents: A Case Study

One of the leading forms of disabilities, worldwide, are those that caused from strokes. Strokes (also known as cerebrovascular accidents) occur when blood vessels in the brain rupture or when blood clots in the vessels block oxygen from flowing to and from the brain (Stroke, 2018). The area in which the brain is losing oxygen determines which functions the affected person will not be able to control. The effects of a stroke can have long-lasting effects and can shift the course of a person’s life. Neuroscientists study the differences between the left and right hemispheres to see in which ways will a person be disabled.

The left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for analytic, language-based, processing skills (Dean, 2013). Concerning

speech, the left hemisphere depicts how a person can speak, read, and write basic language. It also affects one’s ability to hold visual and numerical memory and to problem solve (Goldsmith & Kitago, 2016). The left hemisphere has been shown to control the motor and sensory functions of right side of the body such as the motions of the right arm or the ability to feel heat on the right hand (Schonbeck & Davidson 2013). A person suffering from a stroke in the left hemisphere, will notice a change in these functions. Those experiencing a stroke in this side often cannot formulate words the same, experience paralysis or apraxia in their right limbs, undergo memory conflictions, and lose the ability to read and write either completely or as efficiently.
In a scenario where a 20-year-old college student is diagnosed with having a stroke affecting the left hemisphere the student will experience some major life changes. Given that most of the brain’s ability to complete cognitive thinking/tasks is done by the left hemisphere the student will likely not be able to complete their education. Without having the capabilities to read/write/ or process information the same way the student will face extreme difficulty in simple college tasks such as taking notes. The student will have difficulty in their day-to-day functions as well because the right side of their body could be paralyzed so travelling and transportation now creates a problem. Considering the age of this person, they likely hold a high prevalence over their social life and this would be highly affected because they would be unable to communicate as well usually speaking in slurred or discombobulated words (Stroke, 2018). Fortunately, many schools and recreational buildings offer resources to stroke survivors such as ramps or tutors so the student may be able to finish their education just in a longer time than expected.
On the contrast, the right side of the brain handles emotions, feelings, visual-spatial coordination/visual recognition, understanding of perception/sensational information, and the control of the left side of the body (Telzrow, Puente, & Puente, 2013).

The right hemisphere also can decipher language to get an understanding of words or phrases’ figurative meanings such as sarcasm (Murteira, & Santos, 2013). The brain’s ability to remember faces, remember how a thing feels like, express various emotions are all controlled by the right hemisphere (stroke, 2018). When the right hemisphere is impaired from a stroke the affected person could have anomia/agnosia (unable to recognize and/or name faces/objects). A 20-year-old student that receives a stroke on this side of the brain will mostly notice a difference in their social behaviors. The student will notice damages to their relationships with people, motor skills on the left side, visual interpretations (such as remembering their friends), and emotional reasonings. The only aspect of education that would suffer in a stroke of the right hemisphere would be assignments requiring subjective thinking/analysis because the emotional aspects of this person would be impaired (Schonbeck & Davidson

2013).
To sum up, experiencing a stroke can have devastating effects on the life of a student. Depending on the region of the brain, the functions affected by a stroke will be inhibited. A stroke that occurs on the left hemisphere, meaning oxygen cannot flow through the left side of the brain, will cause changes or limitations in cognitive skills, motor skills (for the right side of the body) and communication skills. Strokes that affect the right hemisphere, however, cause changes in motor skills (for the left side of the body), emotional thinking, visual processing, and sensory/perception information. A 20-year-old student, affected by a stroke, would mainly notice shifts in their education if the stroke occurs on the left hemisphere and social lives if the stroke occurs on the right hemisphere.