Cerebellar Stroke: Overview
Cerebellar stroke is a type of stroke that affects the cerebellum, an important area of the brain that is responsible for coordination, balance, and movement. When the cerebellum is affected by a stroke, it can cause a variety of symptoms, including loss of balance, difficulty walking, slurred speech, and difficulty with fine motor skills and coordination. Cerebellar strokes can be caused by a variety of factors, including ischemic stroke, caused by a clot blocking an artery, and hemorrhagic stroke, caused by a blood vessel rupturing.
What Artery Causes Cerebellar Stroke?
The most common cause of cerebellar stroke is a blocked artery, usually the vertebral artery or the basilar artery. The vertebral artery is a branch of the subclavian artery that runs through the neck and enters the brain. The basilar artery is a large artery that runs through the brain stem and supplies blood to the cerebellum. Both of these arteries can become blocked due to a blood clot or other obstruction, leading to a cerebellar stroke. In some cases, other arteries may be involved, such as the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA).
Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke, and it is caused by a clot blocking the flow of blood to the brain. In the case of a cerebellar stroke, the clot usually forms in one of the two arteries that supply the cerebellum, the vertebral artery or the basilar artery. The clot can be caused by a variety of factors, including atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the arteries, or a blood clot from another part of the body that travels to the brain.
Hemorrhagic stroke is a less common type of stroke that is caused by a blood vessel rupturing in the brain. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including high blood pressure, aneurysms, and other medical conditions. In the case of a cerebellar stroke, the bleeding typically occurs in one of the arteries that supplies the cerebellum, such as the vertebral artery or the basilar artery.