Aneurysm
A permanent abnormal balloon-like bulging of an arterial wall.  There bursting of an Aneurysm in a brain artery or blood vessel causes a haemorrhagic stroke.

Aphasia/dysphasia
Aphasia is a language impairment caused when areas of the brain that control language become damaged. Aphasia can affect the ability to talk or write or understand spoken or written language. An aphasic person may also have trouble with numbers or facial expression and gesture. It varies in type and severity. Aphasia does not affect intelligence and can change over time.

Apraxia/dyspraxia
An inability to coordinate movements even though there is no damage to the muscles needed for the movement

Arrhythmia
An irregular or unpredictable heart beat

Atrial Fibrillation (AF)
An abnormal heat rhythm where the pulse is irregular

Cerebellar Stroke
A stroke that strikes the cerebellum area of the brain, which controls balance and coordination

Cerebrovascular
This term is for blood vessels of the brain.  A stroke is a cerebrovascular accident

CT Scan
Computerised tomography.  A series of X-rays at different levels of the brain.

Dysarthria
Dysarthria occurs when the muscles used for speaking are weak. People with dysarthria may have slurred speech or the voice may become soft or weak.

Dysphagia
Difficulty with swallowing

Embolic stroke
A stroke resulting from the blockage of an artery by a blood clot (or embolus)

Haemorrhage
Bleeding into or around the brain

Hemiparesis
Muscle weakness down one side of the body

Infarct
The area of dead brain cells caused by disruption of the blood flow to the brain

Intracerebral haemorrhage
A stroke caused by bleeding within the brain

Ischaemia
An interruption or blockage of blood flow to the brain

Lability
An uncontrollable outburst of emotion from laughing to crying without real cause.  It may only last a few weeks, or continue for a long period

Penumbra
An area of surviving brain cells surrounding the initial site of brain damage from stroke. The brain cells in the penumbra are at risk of permanent damage, but not yet irreversibly damaged.

Perseveration
Getting stuck on one idea, action or response

Rigidity
Loss of flexibility in thinking or movement

Speech Dyspraxia
A person with dyspraxia might not have weak muscles in the mouth and throat but coordinating speech sounds can be difficult.  Dyspraxia can be bewildering and distressing. A person with dyspraxia might struggle to produce the sounds of speech, hesitate or have frequent pauses or revisions.

Subarachnoid haemorrhage
A stroke caused by bleeding usually from an aneurysm.  The bleeding usually occurs into the cerebrospinal fluid, the protective fluid layer around the brain.

Transient Ischaemic Attacks (TIA)
TIAs, are temporary interruptions of the blood supply to an area of the brain, often caused by a carotid stenosis (narrowing of the artery).  A TIA can last up[ to 24 hours, but most last only a few minutes and cause nor permanent damage or disability.  A TIA is sometimes called a "'mini stroke".