Have a question about neuro

SRbear · Nov 27, 2004

Facial drooping in a stroke is on the opposite side of the stroke area. A right CVA would show left sided weakness or paralysis, and left facial drooping. And visa versa.

RedSox33RN · Nov 27, 2004

I thought it was ALWAYS the opposite side of the stroke area, including anything with head/face. If you think about it, the cranial nerves don't cross in the neck to affect the opposite side, which is sort of what the teacher is implying.

francine79 · Nov 28, 2004

Your instructor is right!! This is one that ALOT of people get mixed up. Facial drooping and paralysis occur in the SAME side as the lesion in the brain. This is because the nerves do not cross until at the medulla.Therefore below the medula the opposite side of the body is affected. Alot of people will argue this so I will provide a link to prove it.

Also, think about it. If the nerves did not cross at the medulla, what side of the body would they control? The same side!

http://www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1052

aruray · Nov 28, 2004

i think im mixing up motor and sensory nerves from cranial nerves. yep ur right, that makes more sense. the link doesnt work btw. i tried searching the site but i couldnt find anything related to CN's.

i found one in my porth patho book it says "if the post cerebral artery is involved with damage to cerebral peduncle, s/s would be oculomotor nerve palsy with contralateral hemiplegia"

yes, the teacher is right!

taken from www.strokeassociation.org

What Are the Effects of Stroke?

Right Brain

The effects of a stroke depend on several factors including the location of the obstruction and how much brain tissue is affected. However, because one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body, a stroke affecting one side will result in neurological complications on the side of the body if affects. For example, if the stroke occurs in the brain's right side, the left side of the body (and the right side of the face) will be affected, which could produce any or all of the following:

Paralysis on the left side of the body
Vision problems
Quick, inquisitive behavioral style
Memory loss

stbernardclub · Nov 28, 2004

lol...you need a new teacher!

In stroke, would the facial manifestations be on the same side of the lesion or the opposite? Teacher says on same side of lesion. However after thinking about it, i thought that it shd be in the opposite side of the lesion since the cranial nerves all are located in the brainstem, and impulses from the brain to the cranial nerves would have to pass the brainstem anyway and therefore be manifested on the opposite side. Am i making sense?

aruray · Nov 28, 2004

...but wait look at this... taken from porth's patho

if middle cerebral artery is involved, brain involved would be lat hemisphere and deep structures of frontal, parietal and temp lobes with s/s of contralateral hemiplegia (face and arm), contra sensory impairment, aphasia..etc..etc..

hmm, very confusing..

so i guess only certain CN dysfxn would manifest on the same side. but facial paralysis is then contralateral...?

XIGRIS · Nov 28, 2004

It should be on the ipsilated side. Motor pathways be it corticospinal and corticurubrospinal tract decussate at the level of the medulla.

Also, sensory sensation from the anterior 2/3 of the face is innervated by Trigeminal Nerve.

francine79 · Nov 28, 2004

Overall, it's going to depend on the exact location in the brain where the stroke has occurred. But, for a basic simple understanding of a stroke, the side of the face affected will be the same as the side of the brain affected.

Also, stbernardclub.... please explain why you believe her instructor is wrong?