National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Practice Exam

A patient presents with sudden weakness and difficulty naming items after a stroke. Which lesion location is most likely responsible?

1. Superior division of MCA

2. ACA

3. Inferior division of MCA

4. PCA

The correct answer is: PCA

Sudden weakness and difficulty naming items indicate a potential issue in the brain regions responsible for motor function and language processing. The superior division of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) supplies areas of the frontal and parietal lobes, which are crucial for motor control and somatosensory processing, respectively. The inferior division of the MCA primarily supplies the temporal lobe and lower lateral areas of the parietal lobe, which are less associated with naming difficulties. The anterior cerebral artery (ACA) primarily supplies the medial portions of the frontal lobes and the superior and medial aspects of the parietal lobes, which are more involved in lower extremity motor control and awareness, rather than language processing. The posterior cerebral artery (PCA), on the other hand, supplies the occipital lobe and the inferior part of the temporal lobe. Damage to the PCA can affect visual processing and interpretations, potentially leading to naming difficulties, particularly when visual modalities are involved. However, this does not correlate as strongly with hemiparesis or weakness. Given the combination of sudden weakness and difficulty with naming items, a lesion typically associated with language deficits and motor weakness would be linked to the involvement of the MCA, especially when considering language and