Which artery is commonly involved with emboli in ischemic stroke?

Which artery is commonly involved with emboli in ischemic stroke?

• A. Anterior cerebral artery
• B. Middle cerebral artery
• C. Vertebral artery
• D. Posterior cerebral artery

Answer: (B)

Embolic ischemic strokes tend to lodge in vessels with high flow and a large lumen, making the middle cerebral artery the most common site of occlusion. The MCA drains a major portion of the cerebral hemisphere and supplies motor and sensory areas of the face and arm, as well as language centers in the dominant hemisphere. Because emboli often originate from the heart or proximal arteries and travel downstream with the greatest likelihood of catching at the MCA’s origin or first segment, this artery is most frequently involved. Occlusion of the MCA produces characteristic deficits such as contralateral facial and arm weakness with sensory loss, and if the dominant side is affected, aphasia; if the nondominant side is affected, neglect can occur. Other arteries, like the anterior cerebral artery, vertebral artery, or posterior cerebral artery, are involved less commonly by emboli in ischemic stroke and tend to produce different, more focal patterns of deficit.

Embolic ischemic strokes tend to lodge in vessels with high flow and a large lumen, making the middle cerebral artery the most common site of occlusion. The MCA drains a major portion of the cerebral hemisphere and supplies motor and sensory areas of the face and arm, as well as language centers in the dominant hemisphere. Because emboli often originate from the heart or proximal arteries and travel downstream with the greatest likelihood of catching at the MCA’s origin or first segment, this artery is most frequently involved.

Occlusion of the MCA produces characteristic deficits such as contralateral facial and arm weakness with sensory loss, and if the dominant side is affected, aphasia; if the nondominant side is affected, neglect can occur. Other arteries, like the anterior cerebral artery, vertebral artery, or posterior cerebral artery, are involved less commonly by emboli in ischemic stroke and tend to produce different, more focal patterns of deficit.