Which term describes paralysis on one side of the body, usually resulting from a stroke or head trauma?

• A. Incontinent
• B. Neglect
• C. Hemiplegia
• D. Nosocomial

Answer: (C)

Paralysis on one side of the body is called hemiplegia, a motor deficit that often occurs after a stroke or head injury damaging the brain. The brain’s motor pathways cross to the opposite side, so injury in one hemisphere typically produces paralysis on the opposite side of the body. Hemiplegia can be complete or may present as hemiparesis, which is weakness rather than full paralysis.

The other terms don’t describe this motor loss: incontinence is about loss of bladder or bowel control; nosocomial means an infection acquired in a hospital setting; neglect is a perceptual or attention deficit where the person ignores one side of the body or environment, which can occur with brain injury but is not a description of paralysis itself.