A patient with dominant-hemisphere language disturbance and contralateral weakness is most likely to have infarction in which arterial territory?

Prepare for the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) Exam with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question includes insights and explanations to help you excel. Get ready for your certification journey!

Multiple Choice

A patient with dominant-hemisphere language disturbance and contralateral weakness is most likely to have infarction in which arterial territory?

The key idea is that language functions are located in the dominant hemisphere and are supplied by the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory. In most people, the left hemisphere is dominant for language, and the MCA supplies the lateral language areas (such as Broca’s and Wernicke’s regions) as well as the primary motor cortex controlling the face and arm. When this region is infarcted, you get language disturbance (aphasia) together with contralateral weakness, typically more pronounced in the face and arm than the leg. Other territories explain why the other sites are less likely: the anterior cerebral artery supplies medial frontal areas and leg-related motor function, so its infarct tends to cause leg weakness and personality changes rather than language deficits; the posterior cerebral artery affects occipital/temporal regions, often producing visual field or language comprehension problems rather than focal left-hemisphere aphasia with arm weakness; a basilar artery infarct would more likely produce brainstem signs.

The key idea is that language functions are located in the dominant hemisphere and are supplied by the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory. In most people, the left hemisphere is dominant for language, and the MCA supplies the lateral language areas (such as Broca’s and Wernicke’s regions) as well as the primary motor cortex controlling the face and arm. When this region is infarcted, you get language disturbance (aphasia) together with contralateral weakness, typically more pronounced in the face and arm than the leg.

Other territories explain why the other sites are less likely: the anterior cerebral artery supplies medial frontal areas and leg-related motor function, so its infarct tends to cause leg weakness and personality changes rather than language deficits; the posterior cerebral artery affects occipital/temporal regions, often producing visual field or language comprehension problems rather than focal left-hemisphere aphasia with arm weakness; a basilar artery infarct would more likely produce brainstem signs.

More practice questions