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A 61 year-old male piano teacher with a long history of alcohol abuse was…
A 61 year-old male piano teacher with a long history of alcohol abuse was admitted to the hospital after
suffering a stroke.
ischemia (loss of blood supply) or hemorrhage (bleeding) in the brain directly causes a stroke
a stroke will affect the way your body functions
His conditions will obviously worsen if he continues to abuse alcohol due to his old age.
If he continues to drink heavily he can rise his chances of having another stroke. He can also have harmful effects from his medication (assuming he's taking medication for the stroke).
If you’ve had a stroke, you may be more vulnerable to the negative effects that alcohol can have. If you’re sleeping badly, have poor balance or speech problems, alcohol could make these worse.
The anatomy of the brain-
cerebrum
cerebellum
brainstem
acts as a relay center connecting the cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal cord. It performs many automatic functions such as breathing, heart rate, body temperature, wake and sleep cycles, digestion, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, and swallowing.
medulla oblongata
this region has many functions, including reflex centers for vomiting, swallowing and other GI functions; it has receptors for stretch sensations; it also has cardiac & breathing control centers
occipital lobe
this area of the cerebrum processes visual information and stores visual memories
fornix
these white matter tracts carry information in & out of the hippocampus, and are part of the limbic system
corpus callosum
this structure connects the right and left sides of the thalamus
hypothalamus
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is located under the cerebrum. Its function is to coordinate muscle movements, maintain posture, and balance.
is the largest part of the brain and is composed of right and left hemispheres. It performs higher functions like interpreting touch, vision and hearing, as well as speech, reasoning, emotions, learning, and fine control of movement.
intermediate mass of thalamus
a band of white matter that connect the two cerebral hemispheres
postcentral gyrus
found posterior to the central sulcus and its location is of the primary sensory area of the brain, which is involved in many of the body's sensory functions
cerebellum
located inferior to the occipital lobe of the cerebrum and its primary function is to regulate motor movements & assist with equilibrium (also known as balance)
pineal gland
this is an endocrine gland that secretes melatonin and controls circadian rhythm
insula
this area of the cerebrum is deep to the temporal lobe and is involved with memory and interpretation of taste
precentral gyrus
found anterior to the central sulcus and its location is of the primary motor area of the brain, which regulates many of the body's motor functions
midbrain
this region is the location of the corpora quadrigemina (they are on the posterior side of this region) & regulates eye movement
pariental lobe
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Effects of alcohol on the brain-
Difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction times, impaired memory
Heavy drinking can contribute to liver damage, cardiovascular disease, and multiple types of cancer
Long-term effects of excessive drinking may include
Memory loss.
Loss of attention span.
Trouble learning.
Alcoholic hepatitis.
Liver fibrosis.
Steatosis (i.e., fatty liver).
Throat, mouth, larynx, breast, liver, colorectal, or esophageal cancer.
High blood pressure
Cardiomyopathy
Stroke
Irregular heart beat
Strokes can cause loss of motor function so that is why he is unable to use his right hand and arm, or walk without assistance
alcohol contributes to a number of medical
conditions that are risk factors for stroke: high blood pressure, diabetes, being overweight, atrial fibrillation, and liver damage
stroke - Damage to the brain from interruption/blockage of its blood supply (During a stroke, the brain does not receive enough oxygen or nutrients, causing brain cells to die.)
symptoms and outcomes can differ so much in different patients who have had a stroke because not everybody's brains are the same and there are different types of strokes
**
I would tell the wife that strokes can damage different motor functions in the brain. If he works enough in physical therapy and creates a better diet, has a light exercise regimen that fits with his age, and stops abusing alcohol he can regain those functions of playing the piano over time.