Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Practice Exam

What is the clinical presentation of a basilar artery stroke?

1. Contralateral motor weakness

2. Pain and temperature loss

3. Quadriplegia and coma

4. Visual disturbances

The correct answer is: Quadriplegia and coma

A basilar artery stroke typically presents with symptoms that arise from the areas of the brain supplied by the basilar artery. This artery is responsible for perfusing critical structures, including the brainstem, which plays an essential role in vital functions and motor control. The clinical presentation of such a stroke can indeed include quadriplegia, which is a result of damage to descending motor pathways in the brainstem. When these pathways are affected, it can lead to loss of motor function in all four limbs. Additionally, coma may ensue due to the extensive nature of the vascular compromise, where the brainstem function, critical for consciousness and basic life-support functions, is fundamentally impacted. Thus, the combination of quadriplegia and coma reflects the severity and central nature of the neurological deficits that can result from a basilar artery stroke, corresponding with the disruption of both motor pathways and brainstem integrity. Other symptoms associated with a basilar artery stroke may include visual disturbances, altered levels of consciousness, and other cranial nerve deficits, but the defining features of quadriplegia and potential loss of consciousness encapsulate the critical impact of such an event.