Alexia without agraphia is associated with which territorial stroke?

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Multiple Choice

Alexia without agraphia is associated with which territorial stroke?

Explanation:
Alexia without agraphia arises when the left occipitotemporal region, the visual word form area, is damaged in the setting of a left posterior cerebral artery (PCA) stroke. This area is responsible for recognizing printed words. When the left PCA territory—including the left occipital cortex and often the splenium of the corpus callosum—is infarcted, visual input for reading is disrupted and cannot be efficiently transmitted to the language centers. The result is an inability to read, while the ability to write remains intact because the language production and motor writing systems are preserved. Thus, this pattern points to a left PCA stroke. Right PCA stroke typically produces neglect, not pure alexia. A left MCA stem stroke tends to cause aphasia and more widespread language disruption, and a left ACA stroke would produce different signs such as leg weakness and abulia rather than pure alexia.

Alexia without agraphia arises when the left occipitotemporal region, the visual word form area, is damaged in the setting of a left posterior cerebral artery (PCA) stroke. This area is responsible for recognizing printed words. When the left PCA territory—including the left occipital cortex and often the splenium of the corpus callosum—is infarcted, visual input for reading is disrupted and cannot be efficiently transmitted to the language centers. The result is an inability to read, while the ability to write remains intact because the language production and motor writing systems are preserved.

Thus, this pattern points to a left PCA stroke. Right PCA stroke typically produces neglect, not pure alexia. A left MCA stem stroke tends to cause aphasia and more widespread language disruption, and a left ACA stroke would produce different signs such as leg weakness and abulia rather than pure alexia.