What is the term for brain damage caused by interruption of its blood supply?

• A. Seizure
• B. TIA
• C. Stroke
• D. Aneurysm

Answer: (C)

Brain damage caused by interrupted blood supply to the brain is a stroke. When a brain vessel is blocked or bursts, the area it feeds is starved of oxygen and nutrients. Neurons begin to die within minutes, leading to sudden neurological problems that depend on which part of the brain is affected. Ischemic strokes come from a clot obstructing blood flow, while hemorrhagic strokes result from a vessel rupturing and bleeding into brain tissue. This is different from a seizure, which is abnormal electrical activity in the brain rather than damage from blood flow loss. A transient ischemic attack is a temporary disruption of blood flow with no lasting brain damage, serving as a warning sign. An aneurysm is a ballooning of a vessel that can rupture and cause bleeding, which can lead to a hemorrhagic stroke, but by itself it’s not the brain damage from loss of blood supply. So the term that matches brain damage from interrupted blood supply is stroke.