Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN) Practice Exam

What risk is a patient with a right hemisphere CVA most likely to face?

1. Speech impairments

2. Memory loss

3. Impulsivity and perceptual deficits

4. Difficulty with language comprehension

The correct answer is: Impulsivity and perceptual deficits

A patient with a right hemisphere cerebrovascular accident (CVA), or stroke, is most likely to face impulsivity and perceptual deficits. This is because the right hemisphere of the brain is primarily responsible for non-verbal processing, spatial awareness, and emotional regulation. When a stroke occurs in this area, patients often experience challenges with visual perception, leading to difficulties in interpreting visual information and navigating their environment. Moreover, impulsivity is a common behavioral change resulting from right hemisphere strokes. Affected individuals may struggle to evaluate risks and consequences, leading to rash decisions without considering their safety or the appropriateness of their actions. In contrast, while memory loss can occur due to any type of brain injury, it is often more closely associated with left hemisphere damage, where explicit memory and language tasks are primarily processed. Speech impairments and difficulty with language comprehension are also more characteristic of damage to the left hemisphere, responsible for language production and understanding.