What is a Stroke?
A cerebrovascular accident or stroke is a pathology that occurs very suddenly and causes motor deficits (movement of the limbs), loss of feeling or language problems.
Stroke in figures
Of the more than 15 million strokes that occur worldwide each year, around 25% are fatal and more than 30% leave severe after-effects, resulting in permanent disability and dependency, with a direct impact on family and friends.
In France, the number of new cases per year is currently estimated at 140,000, meaning that a stroke occurs every 4 minutes. Although not all strokes are equally severe, they are the 1st cause of acquired motor disability in adults, the 2nd cause of dementia and the 3rd cause of death.
What causes a stroke?
In 85% of cases, a stroke is the result of an infarction – a blocked artery in the brain. In 15% of cases, a haemorrhage due to the rupture of a vessel in the brain leads to symptoms.
What are the consequences of a stroke?
In both cases, a region of the brain is deprived of blood supply and therefore of oxygen, and the tissue degenerates, losing its neurological function.
The signs of a stroke
Stroke is a neurological pathology in which the symptoms appear from one minute to the next, in which it is said that “time is brain”. If someone presents with a sudden symptom, they or someone close to them should immediately call the SAMU or the fire brigade. The patient is then treated in a neurovascular unit.
The signs of a stroke can be very varied: a motor deficit, a mouth that deviates, an arm that does not rise properly, difficulty in expressing oneself, visual problems or numbness in a limb. They are often lateralized, meaning that they only appear on one side of the body.
The research carried out by the teams at the Institut du Cerveau focuses primarily on the management and improved effectiveness of post-stroke rehabilitation. Various forms of rehabilitation are being studied to minimise the motor and cognitive after-effects of a stroke.
WATCH OUR VIDEO, UNDERSTANDING STROKE IN 2 MINUTES
Last updated May 2024.