Damage to the brain

A stroke causes damage to the brain, which affects how the body works
Because stroke is a brain injury, the effects, or symptoms, will depend on the part of the brain that is affected.

Every stroke is different and people who have a stroke are affected in different ways. For some, the symptoms are quite mild and last a short time (just a few minutes or hours in the case of a TIA or mini-stroke). Other strokes may cause more severe and lasting damage.

Stroke happens in the brain

When a stroke happens, some brain cells are damaged and others die. Dead brain cells can’t start working again, but those just outside the area of the dead cells may recover as the swelling caused by the stroke goes down.

It’s also possible that other parts of the brain can learn to take over from areas that have died. Most recovery happens in the first few months, but people can continue to recover for several years after the stroke.

Different parts of the brain control different parts of the body

How the brain works

The right half of the brain controls the left side of the body and vice versa. Common symptoms like weakness in parts of the body or not being able to use an arm or leg (paralysis) happens on the opposite side of the body to the stroke side of the brain.

In most people, the left half of the brain is responsible for language ( talking,
understanding, reading and writing), and the right half is responsible for perceptual skills (making sense of what you see, hear and touch) and spatial skills (judging size, speed, distance or position in space).

The effects of a stroke will depend on:

  • the part of your brain that has been injured
  • how bad the injury is
  • your general health when the stroke happens.

Links
Brain attack
Causes of stroke
Common symptoms
Transient Ischaemic Attack
Stroke can happen to anyone
Common problems