II. Definitions
- Hemiplegia
- Complete paralysis
- Hemiparesis
- Partial weakness
III. Causes
-
Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
- Thrombosis, Embolism or Hemorrhage
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
- Migraine syndrome
- Head Trauma
- Todd's Paralysis
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Brain Tumor (Primary or metastatic disease)
- Infection
- Nonketotic hyperosmolar coma
- Vasculitis
- Demyelinating disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Acute necrotizing Myelitis
-
Hereditary Disease
- Leukodystrophies
- Congenital or perinatal injury
IV. Symptoms
- Sudden unilateral extremity weakness, loss of function
- Reflects spinal cord or higher involvement
V. Signs: Lesion localization
-
General
- Cortical lesion signs depend on dominant hemisphere
- Subcortical, Brainstem, and spinal cord are the same
- See Right Hemiplegia or Right Hemiparesis (dominant)
- Aphasia
- Cortical sensory loss
- See Left Hemiplegia or Left Hemiparesis (nondominant)
- Inattention (left sided neglect)
- Denial
- Constructional Apraxia
- Spatial Disorientation