Transient Ischemic Attack
(TIA, Mini-Stroke)
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Overview
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Causes
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Treatment
- Medical Treatment
- Next Steps
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
- Viewer Comments: Transient Ischemic Attack (Mini-Stroke)
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Overview
The control centers of the brain
The brain controls how our body functions, how we think, how we see, how we talk, and how we move.
- The right side of the brain controls the left side of
the body, and the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body.
This includes movement and sensation.
- Speech centers usually located in the Broca's area on the left side of the brain.
- Vision is controlled by the back of the brain in the occipital lobes.
- The
carotid arteries
provide the majority of the blood supply to these parts of the brain (anterior
circulation).
- Balance and coordination are controlled by the cerebellum, or the base of the brain, and its blood supply comes from the vertebral arteries located in the bony canals in the back of the vertebral column (posterior circulation).
When an area of the brain loses its blood supply it stops working, the part of the body it controls also stops working. This is what happens with a stroke or CVA (cerebrovascular accident).
When the brain loses blood supply, it tries to restore blood flow. If blood supply is restored, function may return to the affected brain cells, permitting return of function to the affected body part. This is what happens with a TIA (transient ischemic attack). Some may consider this a mini-stroke, however, in reality, it is a stroke that resolved or improved functionality to the affected body part.
By definition, a TIA resolves within 24 hours, but most TIA symptoms resolve within a few minutes.
TIAs are often warning signs of a future stroke. The risk of a stroke increases dramatically in the days and weeks after a transient ischemic attack, and the TIA may offer an opportunity to find a cause and prevent the permanent neurologic damage that results because of a stroke.
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Viewer Comments & Reviews
Transient Ischemic Attack (Mini-Stroke)
What were the symptoms of your TIA?
Important Safety Information
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Transient Ischemic Attack (Mini-Stroke)
High Cholesterol Overview
Cholesterol is a waxy, fatlike substance that your body needs to function normally. Cholesterol is naturally present in cell walls or membranes everywhere in the body, including the brain, nerves, muscles, skin, liver, intestines, and heart.
Your body uses cholesterol to produce many hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids that help to digest fat. It takes only a small amount of cholesterol in the blood to meet these needs. If you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream, the excess may be deposited in arteries, including the coronary (heart) arteries, where it contributes to the narrowing and blockages that cause the signs and symptoms of heart disease.
- Coronary heart disease (CHD) is caused by cholesterol and fat being deposited in the walls of the arteries that supply nutrients and oxygen to your heart. Like any muscle, the heart needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, which are carried to it by the b...
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Trasient Ischemic Attack »
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) can be considered an acute episode of temporary neurologic dysfunction caused by a vascular occlusion.
