PN Adult Medical Surgical Practice Exam

Which lobe of the brain is likely affected in a client who has had a stroke and is unable to speak?

1. Frontal lobe

2. Temporal lobe

3. Parietal lobe

4. Occipital lobe

The correct answer is: Frontal lobe

The frontal lobe is primarily responsible for higher cognitive functions, including speech production and language processing. Damage to this area, particularly in the region known as Broca's area, can result in expressive aphasia, which manifests as difficulty in speaking despite the individual generally understanding language. In the context of a stroke, if a client is unable to speak, it suggests an impairment in the areas of the brain that facilitate language expression, making the frontal lobe the most likely affected area. While the temporal lobe is involved in auditory processing and understanding language (affecting comprehension rather than production), the parietal lobe is primarily responsible for sensory perception and spatial awareness, and the occipital lobe mainly processes visual information. These lobes, although important for overall cognitive function, do not directly govern speech production, which is why any impact on the ability to speak due to a stroke is most closely associated with abnormalities in the frontal lobe.