Question

Discuss the behavioural and/or cognitive deficits that you might expect to occur after bilateral damage in the territory of the posterior cerebra arteries.

Answer 1

The posterior cerebral artery mainly supplies oxygenated pure blood to occipital lobe of brain. It divides into two branches i.e. ganglionic and cortical . When there is damage to posterior cerebral artery depending upon the location and severity of the damage the signs and symptoms may vary. Which include aggressive behaviour (approx. 8% of patients). The other symptoms may include hemianopsia , memory deficits , dyslexia and topographic disorientation.

The patient can be seen as shouting loudly ,hitting and biting others. The hypothesis behind this behaviour is said to be because of dysfunction of the limbic or serotoninergic system. The severe the lesion is the more is the aggressive behaviour and declined cognitive function is.