What is a Parietal Lobe Stroke?
A parietal lobe stroke is a medical condition in which the supply of oxygen and blood is severed from reaching certain significant parts of the human brain. According to Fischer, Baumgartner, Arnold, Nedeltchev, Gralla, Marco, Marchis and Mattle; a stroke is a medical event in which the arteries that are leading up to the brain are affected in some physical way so much so that they may not be able to carry out their intended functions periodically (Fischer et al, 2010). Since the parietal lobe is accredited for giving an individual most of his/her cognitive ability, any kind of stroke due to blood clotting or even rupturing of certain arteries can cause a seizure of certain functions.
During a parietal lobe stroke, brain cells that may be deprived of oxygen and or fresh blood circulation can become extremely damaged and redundant, while in extreme cases they might even completely die off disabling the individual of his/her fine motor skills.
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What does a Parietal Lobe Stroke Affect in a person?
The parietal lobe stroke, as mentioned in the preceding section, directly effects the fine motor skills in an individual along with their cognitive ability to differentiate and determine certain sensory functions. In some cases the sensation, after a parietal lobe stroke, would be significantly impaired, and the survivors wouldn’t be able to specifically locate where a sensation might be occurring on their body (Kuhl et al, 1980). Furthermore, the parietal lobe stroke can cause malfunction in the entire adjacent part of the body, which was subjected to the stroke or just a small area such as a hand or a foot, either way slight interference in determining sensation on a patient that went through a parietal lobe stroke can be fully expected.
Other effects of any parietal lobe stroke can fundamentally cause a general lack of awareness, Alexia, Motor Apraxia Gertsmann Syndrome and in some cases loss of vision or blurriness.
How does it affect a person speech?
Chen, Tang, Chung and Wong in their research paper for the archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation argued that along with fine motor skills; many victims of the parietal lobe stroke have severe difficulty in adjusting speech patterns as the stroke can affect any given lobe present in or around the main parietal lobe (Chen et al, 2000). Dr. Rachna Malhorta from Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital further states that every individual has a language dominant lobe so the true effect of a parietal lobe stroke, can be determined where the stroke hit and that categorically identifies what kind of aphasia the individual might have.
For example if the dysfunction occurs in the dominant hemisphere then the patient might have difficulty in verbal expression or if the stroke occurred near temporal lobe then the individual might have difficulty in understanding language. Additionally, any injury to the frontal lobe causes planning of speech and delivery as well.
How can this stroke effect a person’s everyday life, for example: taking care of self, eating, reading/writing, working, taking care of others and emotional well-being?
In the sixty sixth issue for the journal of neurology; Carrera & Bogousslavsky published a research article titled ‘The thalamus and behavior effects of anatomically distinct strokes’. In this study, they argued on the fact that in addition to having physical ramifications; parietal lobe strokes have a great mental stress on the patient as well. Most cases that assesses the survivors of a parietal lobe dysfunction have inconsistent fine motor skills and that causes some form of a limitation in doing tasks that the individual might’ve done with ease earlier in their lives.
Another very significant factor in any parietal lobe stroke survivors might be their reduced ability to form cognitive pathways so as to function smoothly; this may cause hindrance while reading, writing, or doing rudimentary simple task such as using the spoon. All these instances compound to having severe mental stress on the individual and may cause depression and anxiety in many patients (Carrera & Bogousslavsky, 2006).
What is the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Method of treatment used by Occupational Therapists?
The proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation or PNF is an intervention technique that is predominantly used in curing Parkinson’s diseases, parietal lobe strokes, and many forms of arthritis, along with head or cord injuries. During a PNF treatment session, diagonal patterns derived from our daily lives are used, to develop an individual’s posture, coordination, strength and overall mobility which helps them determine cognitive principles and a reconfiguration of their fine motor skills. The overall framework of PNF revolves around having normal movement and development of motor skills which is why during a treatment session, the therapists most probably would induce some form of multi-sensory input via the introduction of verbal commands and or some form of visual cues. The therapist would also encourage manual contact so as to make the patients and stroke victims feel the workings of normal movement.
PNF is incorporated so that the client can go back to resuming their normal daily activities as quickly as possible (Chen et al, 2000).
Why is the PNF method used in occupational therapy treatment? What is the evidence-based research behind it?
Kollen and his team of researchers published a suite of evidences that fundamentally showcase the implementation and the effectiveness of the PNF treatment. In their paper titled ‘ Stroke Rehabilitation What is the Evidence?’ Kollen stressed on the mere fact that using the latter methods there were strikingly visible improvements in sensorimotor control of both the upper and lower limbs, more balance and cognition in while sitting and standing and an array of dexterity, and sustained mobility in all of the parietal lobe stroke survivors (Kollen et al, 2009).
PNF is used as a tried and tested measure to bring back motor skills among stroke patients as it has worked in the field of therapy for nearly five decades now. Another key feature for having PNF is that it requires very less operational costs and conducting it is predominantly cost effective for the hospital as well as for the patient in question. Therefore for these many reasons PNF treatment is still one of the primary methods via which parietal lobe stroke patients are rehabilitated in the society once as again.
References
Fischer, U., Baumgartner, A., Arnold, M., Nedeltchev, K., Gralla, J., Marco De Marchis, G., ... & Mattle, H. P. (2010). What is a minor stroke?. Stroke, 41(4), 661-666.
Carrera, E., & Bogousslavsky, J. (2006). The thalamus and behavior effects of anatomically distinct strokes. Neurology, 66(12), 1817-1823.
Kuhl, D. E., Phelps, M. E., Kowell, A. P., Metter, E. J., Selin, C., & Winter, J. (1980). Effects of stroke on local cerebral metabolism and perfusion: mapping by emission computed tomography of 18FDG and 13NH3. Annals of Neurology: Official Journal of the American Neurological Association and the Child Neurology Society, 8(1), 47-60.
Chen, C. L., Tang, F. T., Chen, H. C., Chung, C. Y., & Wong, M. K. (2000). Brain lesion size and location: effects on motor recovery and functional outcome in stroke patients. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 81(4), 447-452.
Vega, Jose. “Don't Ignore These Effects of a Parietal Lobe Stroke.” Verywell Health, Verywellhealth, 12 Feb. 2018, www.verywellhealth.com/effects-of-a-parietal-lobe-stroke-3146435 .
“ Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation.” Occupational Therapy, Apr. 2013, www.ideasforot.com/?page_id=263 .
Kollen, B., Lennon, S., Lyons, B., Wheatley-Smith, L., Scheper, M., Buurke, J., Halfens, J., Geurts, A., & Kwakkel, G. (2009). Stroke Rehabilitation What is the Evidence? American Heart Association Journals. Retrieved on November 25, 2012 from http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/40/4/e89
