Occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off.

• A. Epilepsy
• B. Anemia
• C. Aneurysm
• D. Stroke

Answer: (D)

The brain must have a constant blood supply; when that flow is interrupted, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and glucose within minutes, leading to tissue damage known as a stroke. There are two main forms: ischemic, caused by a blockage that stops blood flow, and hemorrhagic, caused by bleeding that damages brain tissue. Epilepsy involves abnormal electrical activity in the brain and seizures, not a loss of blood supply. Anemia reduces the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity but doesn’t by itself shut off blood flow to the brain. An aneurysm is a bulge in a vessel that can rupture and cause bleeding, which can lead to stroke-like symptoms, but the fundamental concept described here is the interruption of brain blood flow, i.e., a stroke.